


Lack

by lol_chan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 100-word daily chapters, Eventual Relationships, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, also angst, little kenma and kuroo make cameos!, other OCs - Freeform, switching of POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 04:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 226
Words: 22,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3277346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lol_chan/pseuds/lol_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometime in elementary school, Kei sees a green-haired boy being bullied. He doesn't do anything, except call them pathetic. The bullies take the bait, the green-haired boy doesn't.<br/>/<br/>After seeing how boldly the tall boy in a green dino-print jacket could stand up to the bullies, Tadashi starts to look up to him. He thinks he has found a friend and a saviour. Even though the tall boy in a green dino-print jacket doesn't consider him one.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Plain

**Author's Note:**

> Self challenge for hundred-word fics. First Haikyuu!! story. I never imagined it would be TsukkiYama

 

* * *

It is an another plain boring day. Another plain day finished itself for Tsukishima Kei, who is on his way from one boring place called school to another, even more dull place known as cram school.

 _Plain, uninteresting, repetitive, monotonous_ , the eleven-year-old boy could describe his day in a thousand more ways, but he doesn’t. He bottles it up, keeps quiet and plods on, not letting his boredom escape.

Somewhere along his daily journey, he hears an unsettling commotion. Kei is about to move on, but checks it out just as a cure to this tedium he is faced with.

 

* * *

 


	2. 'It's

* * *

Kei finds three stupid looking boys – from the neighboring class of idiots, he recognizes – ganging up on a weak looking one. The latter seems scared and on the verge of crying by now. They are pushing him down and he is being treated like a lackey and is told to carry their school bags by the lazy bums. Kei is bored of this usual scenario already.

 _What a waste of my time_ , he thinks but does not move away from there just then. And because its inconvenient, his mind labels the group as the three ‘it’s and a weak ‘it’.

* * *

 


	3. Weak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogues taken from the manga translation.

* * *

Because he hates weakness, Kei lets one small word slip out of his mouth.

_“Pathetic.”_

He aims the insult at all four of them, carrying on their little episode near the riverbank. It #2 takes the bait.

“The heck did you say?” he calls out. “Hey, hold it!”

Kei zooms in to his face, it #2 being too short to face directly and says, “What?”

Just that question was enough to reduce the bully to tears. “Your glasses are lame, dummy!” If that was the best insult he could come up with, Kei wanted to laugh out in his face.

* * *

 


	4. Late

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for making these too short, but there is only so much I can fit in hundred words.

 

* * *

Kei does not know how much time he spends watching those idiots and commenting on their idiocy, just that he is late for cram school.

 _Running late, unpunctual, tardy_ , he starts searching for more words to explain his situation – just for English practice, since he is going to attend his English cram school – and his reason for it. He was not so bad with excuses or lying, so he could make one from the top of his head when it came to that.

Kei hears the tap-tap-tap of somebody else’s shoes on the gravel of the lone road. He turns.

* * *

 

 


	5. Annoyed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have said this before, but here it is... THANX a ton for the kudos guys! They made me so happy :)

* * *

It is the weak ‘it’. While normally Kei would have found himself smirking at his guts and mocking him, he is uncharacteristically annoyed this time. Annoyed at his grubby face marred with tearstains and hands clutching the straps of his schoolbag tightly. Annoyed at the way he keeps alternating his gaze down and up, as if he is trying to say something, but not coming out with it.

 _"What?”_ he asks, with all the venom he can lace in one word. He takes a step forward.

The child gives a squeak and flees. _This_ is why Kei hates the weak.

* * *

 


	6. Bother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, to all those who left kudos on the last chapter! Hope you are enjoying this!

* * *

Cram school gets over earlier than most days today for Kei; they were having a test that he just _happened_ to ace. The other kids and the teacher had shock printed on their faces, and Kei would not be lying if he said that it was for that _look_ that he rushed and finished a good fifteen minutes before time.

 _Man_ , things were too fun once you were on the top of your development ladder. Kei is getting addicted to it.

Despite his victorious and albeit satisfying evening, there is one thing bothering him: the green-haired 'it' from the afternoon.

* * *

 


	7. Wonder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made it! One week of my self-challenge completed! Yahooo!

* * *

_What did that boy want?_ Kei can not help but wonder about it. _And why the heck did he not say anything?_

It’s unnerving, and he knows that going so far as to ponder is over-thinking it. Still, a hundred questions flounder Kei’s head that night when he is trying to get some sleep (which won’t be too easy, he can see) and he cribs because there isn’t any button to stop it. He shouldn’t, _can't_ , wonder about something so trivial, but he can't exactly see it ending anytime soon either.

_Which class is he from?_

Ugh, this is bad.

* * *

 


	8. Morning

* * *

_Why is my mind taking me to places I do not want to go? Why am I thinking of completely useless stuff? Is this because I am so bored?_  

Kei wakes up the next morning looking like a zombie, which probably isn't too healthy for a boy his age. His eyes are red from rubbing and his hair sticks up from tossing and turning too much. Although there is nothing the excuse ‘I was up studying’ can not justify, he still hates it. 

With a stretch of his shoulders and a sigh, he begins the routine of his humdrum day.

* * *

 


	9. Appearance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was having trouble shortening this one...

* * *

Between packing his bag and washing hands after breakfast, Kei hears his mother telling him to grab his lunch-box from the kitchen.

It was his tendency to listen to what people said, but not _really_ listen, and he calls a casual _'yeeees'_ over his back.

He saunters off to stand in front of the mirror and adjust his collar – yes, Tsukishima Kei was careful about his appearance – for a whole of five minutes. Then he glances at his wristwatch, _oh shit he’s late (again)_ , this has happened twice in the same twenty-four hours, and it leaves him disappointed in himself.

* * *

 


	10. Bad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit rough around the edges, but I made it in time!!

* * *

_It can’t be a coincidence_ , his mind surmises. Having just one rice ball for breakfast, two hours of compulsory physical education and running _and_ forgetting his lunch box at home cannot be an accident, someone is out to ruin his day. Like some heavenly force suddenly decides to turn against Kei and make him beg for food, make his stomach _cry out_ in dire need of something edible.

(Forgetting the lunch box was part his fault but no one needs to know anything and) Kei does not even have money for the canteen.

He just has the worst luck today.

* * *

 


	11. Luck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the previous chapter's and this one's title together.  
> And... I woke up to some good news today. 1 bookmark! Thank you dontcallmeking for bookmarking this!

* * *

Kei decides to wallow in sorrow by going to the roof and maybe skipping all afternoon classes. Though that will be a crack in his A+ student behaviour mask, he realizes. 

He considers going back home for lunch but drops that idea because it will be too much effort.

As he sits on the roof, there is a new addition to the place. Kei looks to see the top of somebody's head. The head looks around as if finding someone. His hair is green.

 _Green…_ Kei wonders when in his mind the 'weak it' became synonymous with the 'green-haired it'.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehh... I not sure about this, but is somebody even liking the story? Is Tsukishima's impassiveness and disinterest in everything coming out okay in every chapter?  
> I added the sentence 'He had even considered going back home for lunch but dropped that idea because of too much effort' to show that he doesn't like to put much effort into anything, until and unless he's interested. And then the whole 'it' concept to show his usual lack of respect for anybody really. 
> 
> Yamaguchi has made an appearance, so if you have an pointers related to his character, please tell me in the comments.


	12. Offer

* * *

Kei resumes enjoying the slight breeze that blows into his hair. Just as his eyelids start to droop, threatening to take him to dreamland, he hears a noise. It _is_ the green haired it, afterall. 

“ _What_ is it?” Kei remembers saying something similar that scared him the last time.

The boy flinches visibly and seems to retract away from him. “I-I uh… noticed that you don't-” he says, stammering on the few words he utters. Then in a burst of confidence, he offers his bento to the blond. “W-will you like to share?”

Kei frowns, and then his stomach growls.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all are enjoying, though a few comments will be appreciated :)


	13. Thanks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was re-reading the previous chapters and cringing at them...

 

* * *

Kei accepts a Chinese dumpling from the boy with as much dignity he could save after that embarrassing grumble his stomach gave. The food tastes good and he tells him. 

The boy smiles and rubs the back of his head, red-faced for some reason “Ehhh, even I wanted to thank you…” 

“For?”

“For the other day…” 

Kei stops mid-chew. “Don’t.” 

“Huh?” The green-haired boy who kindly offered him Chinese dumplings is as confused as Kei probably is.

Kei stands up and brushes off crumbs of stuffing awkwardly.

The green-haired boy whose name he has not even bothered to ask, stares.

* * *

 


	14. Why can’t I be like that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of things to say! First of all, a big shout out to Anaisfromanotherplanet for comments, THANK YOU!! And Happy Valentine's Day to all!
> 
> Also, the only way to differentiate between POV is to look at the title. If it is a one-word title, the chapter will be Tsukki POV and if it is long or a question, it will probably be Yamaguchi's. I hope that made sense :))

* * *

Yamaguchi Tadashi is not wrong when he thinks he will see his saviour again today. His idol is going towards the roof. Tadashi follows. He is not wrong again, in thinking that he will be as cool as yesterday. He is sitting at the highest point of the terrace with hands behind his head, wind carding his hair, making him seem even more cool.

 _Cool…_ his mind echoes. _Why can’t I be like that?_

With much hesitation, Tadashi steps forward to approach the place the blond-haired boy is resting. The other boy turns to look at him.

“ _What_ is it?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for portraying Tsukki as Yamaguchi's idol already, but I am pretty sure he became one when Tsukki saved Yama from the bullies :)


	15. How bad can it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima is being kind of an ass in this one, but trust me that will change in the next chapter.

* * *

 

Saying something now is scary, Tadashi decides, but does it anyway, because that is what he told himself he’d do.

The other boy seems in a better mood after eating the dumplings he offered him. He even tells Tadashi that they taste good, following which Tadashi thanks him for the other day.

“Don’t.” says the blond boy.

“Huh?” Tadashi is confused, and it shows.

He stands abruptly and brushes off crumbs from his shirt.

“I said there's no need for you to be thankful.”

Tadashi stares as his ‘idol’ leaves, realizing belatedly that he had not even asked his name.

* * *

 


	16. Hate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukki pov this time.

* * *

Kei has never been big on etiquette and formalities, but not even a ‘thank-you’? He generally knows better. No matter what had happened, storming out of there made absolutely no sense. He should not have done that! And the boy was even being thankful. But that _was_ the problem!

Kei has seen his big brother, Akiteru, suffer a lot because of same kind of behaviour.

 _Overly thankful, pointlessly compassionate and considerate…_ these were the kinds of things Kei has come to absolutely _abhor_ in a person.

Funny that he has been on the receiving end of such a person’s kindness.

* * *

 


	17. Again

* * *

And now he has been thinking about it for almost half the day.

 _Ugh,_ Kei thinks, _this is the absolute worst._

Besides the unusual occupation of his mind by the green-haired, weak-willed ~~but kind~~ 'it', classes actually go well, when Kei decides to return after the lunch break fiasco.

He is about to begin his mundane homeward tour, the one that was the start of this in the first place..

On his way out, Kei looks inside other classrooms sweepingly, with less than half of his interest. His eye catches on green hair, again.

He hides behind a wall swiftly.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you realize that it has just been one day in the timeline of this fic? O.o (not that I expect many people to, considering the meagre amount of viewers this has been getting) but I suddenly did realize... and that this is going to be long...


	18. This isn't my fault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi POV this time.

* * *

 

Tadashi does not even know what this is about. Three of his classmates, or should he call them bullies?– Eiji, Hiro and Jun – have done something, and Tadashi is in the middle of apologising in their stead.

“I’m sorry, Miss Matsuzaka.” He says, resignedly, because there was no getting out of here without an apology; better get this over with soon. Even though he knows that, hot angry tears pool afresh in his eyes, at his stupid situation, at his _lack_ of power to help himself.

He looks up slowly, and sees a flash of blond hair in their direction.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All comments and kudos are appreciated *bows*


	19. Smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter for tomorrow here as well, because i have to take an important exam the day after.

* * *

Kei does not need to be too intelligent to figure out this one: he knows it’s the bullies. He grits his teeth when a mental image of those three idiot ‘it’s grinning pops to mind.

He walks away from his hiding place before he knows it. The teacher is saying something about class roster duties, but Kei isn’t listening.

“Miss Matsuzaka,” he calls out, “I was…” he glances down to see ‘Yamaguchi’ printed neatly on the side of the other boy’s indoor shoes. “…with Yamaguchi-kun during break.” Then he smiles his innocent smile he knows that the teacher will buy.

* * *

 


	20. Friend

* * *

“Geez, you could have told me, Kei-kun!” Miss Matsuzaka says.

Kei fakes a smile. He sort of hates this one (she acts like his mother sometimes, all doting) but it was his decision to save ‘Yamaguchi-kun’, so he plays along.  

“I’m sorry.” He says, not feeling apologetic in the least.

“It’s okay,” the teacher goes on. Then she looks towards the boy who is the supposed 'offender' of this program. “Yamaguchi-kun has good friends, so sensei hopes he will cope up and do well.”  

Kei looks at Yamaguchi-kun and Yamaguchi-kun looks at Kei.

 _Friends…_ he thinks, _she called us friends…_

* * *

 


	21. Fake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I noticed how Tsukki does not give his trust to anybody easily after what happened with Akiteru. So I wrote this.

* * *

Just as he isn’t big on manners and formalities, Kei isn’t big on friendship as well. It is not as if he is unpopular, he just chooses to maintain considerable distance from everybody he meets.

Kei has many ‘friends’, if he dubs them that, but no friend in real sense of the word. He thinks that many girls in the class are attracted to his good looks. Boys talked to him courtesy his grades, which were constant at the top; many were even jealous.

So what is the use of something as pointless as making friends if they are fake?

* * *

 

 


	22. I think I know what’s going on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi POV this time.

* * *

 

“Yamaguchi-kun has good friends, so sensei hopes he will cope up and do well.”

The blond-haired boy is looking at him. Tadashi thinks he knows what is running through his head.

 _Friends…_ he is fixated on that word, but it is clear that Kei-kun does not want to be clubbed together with him. It looks like he’ll be denying that fact any moment too, so Tadashi opens his mouth and says the first thing on his mind, loudly, “Hai, sensei, thank you very much!”

Kei-kun is still staring at him when are sent out of the room by the teacher.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG!! Thank you for the comments, Anaisfromanotherplanet and Meenun!! I love you so much!!! Thank you CatzBlack for bookmarking! Keep reading n enjoy~


	23. Duty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Meenun, who asked for more chapters/words per day. 
> 
> Here it is, you don't have to wait for the 30th<3 I'm more than happy to comply with requests :))

* * *

 

“What was-”

“Thank y-”

Both stop. Kei speaks, “Go first, tell me.”

Tadashi blushes and dips his head “Ah, yeah.”

He begins narrating the incidents that followed break. Slight embarrassment sets in the form of a blush on Kei’s face at the mention of the break. He hopes that his actions have now made up for the earlier rudeness.

Hiro had been on class lock duty. He and his other two friends had dumped their duties on Tadashi and made their way home, teasing and laughing loudly. In the meanwhile, Miss Matsuzaka found him cleaning and locking the class alone.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note: The consecutive dialogues will always be dealt with by changing alignments.


	24. Name

* * *

 

Kei huffs,  _audibly_. “So what you’re saying is that they just shoved you aside, and you let them?”

There is an annoyed tone to his voice, and Kei is not shy enough to not to show it. He huffs again. Somehow, this boy pisses the hell out of him. And it has been just one day since their first meeting, he realizes.

“Well… they were my f-friends in the last term, a-and--” he is mumbling something again, and looks two words away from shedding tears, and  _that’s_  somehow the last thing Kei wants.

“What is your name?”  Kei asks suddenly.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this is as cute as it looks to me *fangirl giggle*


	25. Did he ask me my name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Meenun/Rhea for your continued feedback!! It really makes my day <3
> 
> Grand bonus update this time, esp. for Meenun, and all others who are reading this! I won't be able to open my laptop tomorrow, so might as well give some time to the story today... Enjoy!

* * *

Tadashi is not sure if he hears it right. “Huh?” he lets it slip past his lips, all the while staring at the blond, who rolls his eyes.

“Have you forgotten your own name? Yamaguchi…”

“Tadashi.” he answers.

The taller boy muses. “I’ll call you Yamaguchi.” He decides in the end.

Tadashi nods his head, suddenly overcome with shyness “A-and, you…” Nobody told him that asking a name could be difficult.

“Tsukishima Kei,” he answers. “But don’t call me by my first name.” Kei warns.

“Are we…” he trails off again, as if waiting for Tsukishima-kun to fill the gap.

* * *

 


	26. Voice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kei POV this time, because the boy seems to be facing a bit of a dilemma recently ;)

* * *

 

“No, we aren’t friends.” Kei answers, with an air of finality.

The shorter boy nods again. Kei wonders if this is the time to say good-bye for real. He does, and Yamaguchi-kun isn’t complaining, so it’s all okay, right?

* * *

_We aren’t friends, ok?_ He explains to the voice in his mind that will not stop bugging him, while on his way to his Math cram school. (He had Math and English cram school on alternating days.)

**_Yet,_** says that voice back.

Because no matter how much he denies it, the green-haired Yamaguchi-kun keeps popping into Kei’s mind at odd times.

* * *

 


	27. Sunday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there!!!  
> Science hell finally over, I am back to updating this!  
> To Meenun: good that you got an account!! And thank you so much for bookmarking<3

* * *

 

Today being Sunday, there is no school. Tomorrow’s homework lay on the table, done. Kei can't think of anything else he has to finish. He contemplates staying at home and playing video games or going out for a run.

Outside, the sun is shining brightly, not as hot as the summer sun but still warm for spring. From his position on the couch, Kei can see smooth trails of white clouds lining the sky.  

Eyebrows raised, he gets up to find his shoes. A run out in the sun it is, he decides.

Maybe he’ll find something interesting enough again.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's two chaps a day from today on! Wait for it!!


	28. Today will be great

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to research all of Japan's volleyball clubs to put a name in for this one, lol. Unfortunately, none of them is based in Miyagi, so I had to a name which sounded cool enough for eleven-year-old boys :D
> 
> (Fun fact: There is also one team owned by Hinata's favourite salonpas manufacturer, Hisamitsu Springs)

* * *

 

Today, the weather is so fine that Tadashi’s heart wants to fly. He gets up at eight in the morning, and the blue sky puts an instant smile on his face.   

“Mom, I’m going out to play!” he shouts from outside the gate, and then is off, not waiting for her to answer. A volleyball is clutched in the crook of his right arm and the images of last night’s match and the Panther’s win are still fresh in his mind.

As he reached the grassy hill where he usually played, Tadashi jumped into the air with renewed enthusiasm, “Yosha!”

* * *

 


	29. Feel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just noticed a few things:
> 
> 1) The summary sucks. Well, I have only myself to blame for that...  
> 2) I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THE TACOS TEE!! OMG, so here it is.

* * *

 

Kei’s idle hand pulls on the tufts of grass beneath him, drawing them out of their roots, and throwing them back to the ground. It was an unconscious action, and Kei is staring at his hand after.

The ‘walk’ that he was supposed to take is morphed into a ‘lazy morning spent sitting on grass’, he can feel it. But for once, Kei is too lazy to get up and exercise. 

He hears a loud exclamation form somewhere behind him and turns around. It is the green-haired, TACOS tee-wearing Yamaguchi-kun, ~~his “friend”~~ , again.

Suddenly, Kei isn’t sure what to feel.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, Kei's so cute! Even though he told Yama that they aren't friends, he already considers him as one in his mind. Tsun again <3


	30. Volleyball day out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Geisterschiff, for bookmarking!

* * *

Tadashi never thought that volleyball would become so enjoyable and a part of his life, but now he is glad that he saw a match of the local champions, Karasuno High’s team, when he had the chance to.

Their elementary school doesn’t have a volleyball club, but Tadashi is content practicing on his own. He is sure that the middle school he wants to apply for has one,

 _So I’ll try my best there!,_ he thinks with a wide smile.

“Is that your favourite?”

Tadashi turns around at the words and the gravitating ball hits him square in the face.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun writing this because a smiling Yamaguchi gives me life :)


	31. Volleyball

* * *

 

“Is that your favourite?”

Yamaguchi-kun turns around and is hit by the falling ball _in his face._

Half of Kei wants to laugh, half of him wants to pull him up from where he is lying on the ground. He does neither, and pulls on a twisted smirk kind-of, that he hopes portrays at least _some_ of the… whatever it was that he feels, seeing Yamaguchi-kun again. Whatever _that_ was, and whatever _that_ meant, Kei is unsure.

“What is?” Yamaguchi asks in return. Meanwhile, Kei is eyeing the volleyball lying next to him.

Kei shrugs, “Never mind that, you play?” 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kei was talking about the tacos tee, btw. In all the flashback scenes, Yama always dons that t-shirt, so its kinda my headcanon that it is his favourite... idk, maybe Furudate-sensei found it too easy to draw? XD


	32. Before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In canon, Tsukki watches Akiteru's match after befriending Yamaguchi, so I guess that's a deviation.

* * *

The mention of the game brings up year old memories for Kei. And they aren’t happy ones. They were, before that match, when Kei used to enjoy watching his brother play. After that day…

Kei shakes his head to rid it of unnecessary thoughts.

“Yes!” Yamaguchi-kun answers loudly and with a smile.

Kei nods “Which position?” he asks, the question usually asked after the previous one.

The other boy seems a bit confused. “If it’s volleyball, it has got to be the spiker, right? It is the coolest! But I’m not sure if I can make it with my height.” 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real life intervenes: semi-hiatus, sorry. Will update approx. 48 hrs later.


	33. Oh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel so guilty for not being there for so many days!!

* * *

 

Kei muses for a while, then mutters a quiet “Oh.” like this is as simple as discussing the colour of the clouds above them.

But it seems that Yamaguchi-kun isn't willing to let go of the passionate topic so easily. “Which one do you play?” he asks with enthusiasm.

Kei forms a petulant half pout that he hopes conveys his disinterest, “I don’t really play.”  

Yamaguchi-kun’s smile drops as easily and quickly as the ball had on his face earlier.

 _Then why did you ask?_ His eyes are asking Kei, who decides to pointedly ignore him.

“Oh.” remarks Yamaguchi-kun then. 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the numerous Kudos you guys have been giving, btw! They make me so happy!


	34. Almost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited the summary a bit, credits to the Tsukki page at HQ!wiki.

* * *

 

“You can play very well,” Yamaguchi-kun says then, with the air of a practiced player, “and be a star middle blocker!”

Kei rolls his eyes. He has been told _so_ many times by the coach, by his _brother_ , that he almost hates to hear it, hates volleyball again. After  _that_ day, he almost hates how _seriously_ people take the sport.

He checks his watch and says, “Anyway, I’ll be off, so you practice.” And just like that, leaves the small hill.

Though while he is walking back, he can feel Yamaguchi-kun’s eyes boring holes into the back of his head.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually my first time writing little children, so I'm trying to make their characteristics more prominent through these short chapters. Like their innocence, gullibility (wait no, not that exactly... uhm, idk) and their desire to be separate from others and look cool amongst the general group. (And then there is Tsukki...)
> 
> This is actually a very difficult thing, I realize now, only after I've plunged into it, but it's ok. Any hints and corrections are welcome!


	35. Mother

* * *

 

He is home after a short walk of about five minutes. Just as he is about to turn the doorknob, his mother bursts out of it, apparently in a hurry.

“Kei, good thing you’re here. Come with me!” she declares.

* * *

 

Since his mother had been in such a big rush, Kei had taken the liberty to assume that this was important. He shouldn’t have.

“ _Mom_ ,” Akiteru groans from the chair, “isn’t this done already?”

Kei gives a slight shiver of fear. It is his turn next and somehow his mother is known to give her sons the worst hairstyles possible.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sorry if I made Tsukki's mom the "mom who always gives her children the worst hairstyles and then tells them they are cute" it's ooc, ikr?!?! But kinda important for the next part, so...   
> And it's been a while since I've added something funny


	36. Hairstyle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read left to right as well as right to left for dialogues, because fan-girls remain fan-girls irrespective.

_Kyaaaa! He has a new cut! So cute!!_

_Shh! He’ll hear you, Mai-chan!_

_Everyone knows that only Hime-chan can talk to Tsukishima-kun._

 

Kei can still hear some off-whispers and squeals, and they are pissing him off to no end. _When_ did his hair become a hot topic in the class? _Why_ did he let his mother have her way with his hair (and he isn’t sure what she did to it)? _Why_ isn’t class starting?

Just as he is muttering and sighing about his hair, Something Hime-something (he presumes, since only she can (why?)) stands in front of his desk.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanation for why Kei's attitude towards girls is so nonchalant: I've used the example of boys I've seen. During elementary, boys are in their "too-cool-for-girls" phase, and girls... well, you can't ever tell. The boys are busy in getting scars from fights to show off as badges or just doing idk what, but they are definitely not interested in girls as much as they will be in their later life. While Kei is neither (busy getting scars, or interested in girls in his later life XP), the general characteristic of the age rubs off on him nonetheless! 
> 
> ((One 7 y/o boy I met even told me, "Girls?" like it was the most disgusting thing he'd heard. Yeah, so, I think it's 'cause they think it's _girly_ to hang out with girls, most probably I'm right...))


	37. Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you TheAO3DreamWalker for their AWESOME comments and reviews they have been giving each chapter! I love you so much <3

* * *

 

“Tsukishima-kun,” the girl begins in a high-pitched, too sweet tune. Whatever she is going to say is cut short by the first bell.

“You saved yourself from embarrassment.” Kei wants to say, but the girl cuts him to it and says instead, “We’ll talk later.”

Kei decides that he hates high-pitched voices.

* * *

 

He is not sure when ‘later’ is, is it in the middle of Math class? The note on his table passed down by _her_ seems to think so. He looks over and she bats her eyes.

Kei decides again that he hates singy-songy writing. And batty eyes too.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seems like I have found, no, invented the reason for Tsukki's repulsion to girls, or maybe, idk lol
> 
> But pls, take Himeko well, ok, readers? She just means to serve her purpose as the clingy and pouty brat XP She's the first serious OC I've introduced, beside the 3 little ~~pigs~~ bullies, so.


	38. Note

* * *

 

_Please meet me behind the gym in the break <3<3_

_~Sakurazawa Himeko_

The font is so bubbly that Kei finds himself cringing in middle of Math class. _What are those two hearts for?_ he questions himself, only to go unanswered.

Just as he is about to crush the note in the palm of his hand, his eyes catch on charcoal black hair and eyes that bat continuously over a dainty shoulder. Sakurazawa is looking directly at Kei (and this has become a class affair) and he cannot bring himself to crumple the paper.

He settles for a grimace instead.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I invented a pretty good Jap name, yeah, Sakurazawa Himeko. If she won't be the manipulative cling-wrap she's being, I'll like her.


	39. 5-B

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 1000 hits! Woohoo! It's a party!

* * *

 

Kei is out of his seat the moment the bell rings. And he isn’t headed to the gym or that girl-with-an-excessive-name.

In his haste, he almost skids past the class – but then remembers it, from last week’s incident – and halts in front of it. Class 5-B.

Going inside and locating Yamaguchi-kun is not difficult in the least. Yamaguchi-kun sits at the far end of the room, besides the window. What’re difficult to handle are the glares he is being given by the others.

Strengthening his resolve, Kei walks up him and says in a low voice, “Let’s have lunch. Rooftop.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, you can tell even without looking that Kei is sick of all the unwanted attention. But what to do, I love to make him suffer~ lol, jk


	40. Imperfect looks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was just reading all the comments, and, oh how thankful I am to all those who commented/kudos'ed/bookmarked/followed/viewed this!! This is for all those cuties out there~ whether you're listening or not!!

* * *

 

Tadashi has always been told that his looks are imperfect. With the growing freckles on his cheeks, even he knows that he isn’t the most beautiful boy on the earth (some high-school girls once told him that he looked cute, and Tadashi had blushed and blubbered and run away) but sometimes he thinks that it’s okay to have some confidence too. Only that is easier said than done.

This is why he is shell shocked when the school’s most popular boy is stands in front of him, demanding to have lunch together.

“What’s the matter, Kei-kun?”

Tadashi bites his tongue.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi's so insecure about a lot of things >.<


	41. Realizations of any sort

* * *

 

 _Oh no, this is bad_ , Tadashi realizes. He just called Tsukishima-kun _Kei-kun_ when he specifically told him not to. He called Tsukishima-kun what he has been calling him inside his head since the time he told him his name. He called Tsukishima-kun what he has wanted to call him instead of what is proper.

 _This is so bad_ , Tadashi realizes with his eyes as wide as saucers.

But it seems that the other boy has hardly any time to come to realizations of any sort. He is tugging at Tadashi’s wrist and saying, “Let us go.”

“Where?” asks Tadashi dumbly.

* * *

 


	42. Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I woke up today to three kudos and a really, really cute bookmark. Thank you AmiKanon, for bookmarking!! Hope that you forgive me for littering your inbox everyday with a 100 word chapt. 
> 
> The text on your bookmark really warmed my heart. (Don't punch yourself plssss omg) Thank you so much, really (too many 'really's but,)
> 
> Thanks to the kudos-givers as well!! xox

* * *

 

Kei controls the urge to roll his eyes. “To the rooftop,” he says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Yamaguchi-kun just nods, and then picks up his lunch-box.

Once they are there, Kei decides to cut to the chase without too much skirting around. It takes a lot of willpower to get the words out, because he hadn’t even considered the other boy a _friend_ before, but Kei manages the following words out:  “So, you’ve been confessed to before?”

He hadn’t even considered the other boy a friend before, and now _this_. Kei rolls his eyes.

* * *

 


	43. More and more questions

* * *

 “What?” Tadashi thinks he asks more questions than anything else when he is with Kei-kun, more than he does in his daily life, at least. And that leaves him sort of stumped, as do the replies from the blond-haired boy.

“Never?” Kei-kun says, and Tadashi tells himself not to call him that in his mind otherwise it’ll slip out like that again and the next time he will definitely notice and leave him to the bullies or the dogs-

“Have you?”

Tadashi thinks his tongue lifted on its own to say something. Whatever it was, Kei-kun says yes to it.

* * *

 


	44. A big event

* * *

In a class where almost no one pays attention to him, talking to a girl was an event in itself for Tadashi; he thinks that getting confessed to pretty much equaled a grand celebration.

Here he is facing someone who has been confessed to many times before and yet asks unknown - well, not  _completely_  unknown - people if _they_ have, before.

Tadashi blinks, once, twice then thrice, to come to terms with the mild shock he just received.

“And you rejected them all?” 

Tsukishima-kun nods again, then rustles a note out of his jeans pocket. He hands it to him, “Here.”

* * *

 


	45. Letters of confession

* * *

The writing on the note is pretty, the name of the girl is pretty, even the way the pink paper was torn was pretty; all-in-all it was a note that Tadashi will be more than happy to receive.

Tsukishima-kun shrugs his shoulders and tells him, “Keep it if you want to.” He takes another bite of his omelette-rice. “I have many more at home; take them if you want to, too.”

Tadashi shakes his head. He is not sure how friendship is supposed to start, but he is sure it’s not with the other person offering you letters of confession.

* * *

 


	46. Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The POV has changed from the last three chapters, this time its Tsukki feeling embarrassed at his (dorky) flirting

* * *

 

What The _Hell_? Was that a  lame attempt to invite Yamaguchi-kun to his house?

Kei sinks his head into his hands. A grain of rice sticks to his fingers from where it stuck to his lips. Kei brushes it off. The bell rings in the distance, and there is general hustle and bustle and noise from the floors below them. He looks up wearily. 

Yamaguchi-kun is still studying the note and his face with equal and same amounts of interest as he was ten minutes before.

He snatches it out of his hands, "Okay, enough ‘bout this. Throw it away.”

* * *

 


	47. Gone with the wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol sorry for using a book as a title but i'm really short on time!! n thus couldn't think anything else

* * *

 

Tadashi lets out a yelp to save it, but the note is riding the wind as soon as the other boy lets it out of his hands.

“Why did you do that?” he asks, even though he has no business to, because it wasn’t his in the first place. Kei-kun shrugs, “I don’t know, if you wanted it, you should have taken it; you didn’t.”

Tadashi goes quiet at this. He was right. Tadashi joins him in picking their lunchboxes off the floor, and moving down the staircase. A silence takes its place between them. They are soon at class.

* * *

 


	48. Normal

* * *

“You should have taken it; you didn’t.”

Kei is trying to play it cool again, trying to regain his usual aloof demeanor that he had somehow lost. It is strange, how he has never had trouble keeping an apathetic air about him any other day, but today he needed to summon it from within. Because things never tended to go normal around Yamaguchi-kun. The other boy was always in the middle of drama, Kei almost felt sorry for him. _Almost._  

They pack their lunchboxes and take the staircase.

Kei thinks that they reach the parting place a bit too soon.

* * *

 


	49. Hurry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for disappearing, I'm so sorry!! This chapter is like a bridge between the next ones, iac it marks the start of a new arc from next time. Please litter the comments with ideas as I am _totally out of them._

* * *

Kei studies him for a good minute or so as they walk down the hall in silence. Being half a step behind Yamaguchi-kun is a good vantage point; it was a place from where he could observe the few freckles that dot his cheeks better, how they dance in an expression of worry sometimes and how frantically his hands clutch his yellow tiffin box.

Once they are outside class 5-B, “Bye,” says Yamaguchi-kun, hurriedly, and just as hurriedly disappears into the classroom.

“Bye.” says Kei to no one in particular.

The salutstion isn’t rushed; it has an air of conclusion.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Cloe_S for the bookmark, you rock!!


	50. Meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OHHHHHH GODDDDDD thank you so much everyone who has waited till i chased inspiration for this one!!! i'm backkkkk, and hopefully to last!!!
> 
> thank you dyingbrains for bookmarking!!
> 
> on with the latest arc!

* * *

 

If there’s anything Kei hates more than sour cream on his strawberry shortcake, it’s a parent-teacher meet. Currently he is in the middle of one.

Kei controls the urge to sigh loudly in a classroom full of over-excited classmates and their even more excited parents. His mom stands at the back and Kei chances a glance back at her and smiles when she waves. He isn’t a child anymore – he’s _eleven_ years old – but it's okay to smile sometimes.

“Next we have Tsukishima Kei-kun, topper of the term, to read.” the teacher announces.

An approving hum goes around the class.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hit half-a-century!!


	51. Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they're fifth grade students reading an english story in class, so please expect it to be childish, i am not good with morals and fables anyway

* * *

 

Kei begins reading. If there is a tinge of red on his cheeks because of the other parents’ whispering, he doesn’t notice.

The story’s title is ‘The Lonely Boy’. Kei thinks he has read it before.

_Once upon a time, a boy lived on a farm with his cows. Every day he tended to crops, and every evening he herded the cows to a nearby meadow._

Kei frowns. He doesn’t remember reading any farm or barn stories. Just as he is about to read the next line, the bell rings, signaling the end of the meet. All parents stand up.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, so maybe i had too much fun with the story part, help! i have forgotten all my nursery rhymes and stories!! lol xp
> 
> look forward to the way it runs, it's got something to do with the plot, so it's not totally meaningless xD


	52. Good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one of the things i notice is that the Japanese bow a lot. tsukki is one of those who really hate it, i guess, since it seems over the top maybe?

* * *

 

“Very well done, Kei-kun,” the teacher says on their way out, “Your pronunciation is very good.”

Kei nods his head and bows just enough to seem polite, a motion to see them out, but _no_ , his mother had to spend an extra few minutes thanking and bowing and bowing uselessly. He lets her do whatever.

“Do you want anything?” she later asks, obviously very happy.

Kei shrugs, “The usual?”

She smiles wider, “Strawberry shortcake for you and Wasabi ice cream for Aki!”

Kei hums a tune and wonders _why does nii-chan get an ice when **I** have done something nice?_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bro-bro jealousies, i totally get them. also moments with mom!! mOwOm


	53. Cliché

* * *

Kei pulls out his books from the book bag as soon as he reaches home. Not that he has to study to stay at the top of the class or anything; that was easy.

Fumbling with the pages of his literature book, he opens it to the dog-eared one marking the farm and barn story. 

It is about a lonely boy who finally finds a friend. They fetch water daily from the nearby well. Then, one day, a pretty girl moves in to the next barn.

Kei chuckles at the cliché setting. He can almost see where this is going.

* * *

 

 

 


	54. Illustration

* * *

 

He reads on.

As expected, both boys fall in love with the girl.

He turns the page to see what choice the girl makes, but the story ends there. The name of the novel from which it is adapted is printed in small, neat letters. Somehow, Kei feels disappointed.

There is also a picture on the last page. It is supposed to give the reader an idea of how the three young teens looked like. But something about the illustration, one of the two boys, reminds Kei of Yamaguchi-kun, _maybe the freckles?_

He shuts the book with a loud snap.

* * *

 


	55. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note: i've made a major change in the story!! they aren't nine, but eleven y/o now, because i realized that nine y/o would mean it would take a looooong time to reach middle school. also, i think i took a wrong turn with the p-t-meet arc, maybe, just my thought, but here's to setting things straight. pls tell me if you'd beg to differ, btw, in the comments ;)

* * *

The next day at school, Kei faces another wave of boredom crashing on him in the middle of geometry. Identifying ordered pairs of points was no sweat for him (he had already taken a test on the topic in his cram school and aced it). Kei leaned back in his chair, his eyes swiftly finding the clock.

_Ten minutes until break time…_

This isn’t something new; Kei often found himself staring at the clock on the opposite wall, waiting for seconds to tick by faster. Just this time, the reason is different from the need to eat.

The bell rings.

* * *

 


	56. Warning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> monday blues, guys, lol's having monday bluezzz

* * *

 

 **Do not run in hallways!** The warning written on a dull piece of poster paper above him declares. Students barely came to the rooftop in the mid-march heat, preferring the cool shade of the water-cooler room or the class to the roof _._

 _What they don’t know is that wind blows perfectly and the roof is actually the place to go on a summer day, or any day for that matter_, Kei thinks with secret glee, as he makes his way to the roof.

He opens the door (the poor old lock was only so strong) to find no one there.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comment kudasai!!


	57. Damsel in distress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i thought that the title should be one-word, bcoz that's the trend for all Kei-centric chapters, but 'damsel' wouldn't be the right description for poor Tsukki xp

 

* * *

Kei feels a lump settle at the bottom of his stomach. He sips his juice quietly, mood deflated by his lack of company. Setting the empty juice box beside him, he pulls out his battered Walkman and earphones, ready to sink into the music, but if he isn’t mistaken, there was a _creak_ behind him.

Yamaguchi-kun stands in the doorway with a bag of chips in hand.

“You came.” Kei states.

Somehow that sounded _too_ like the silly lines said by the damsel in distress of the drama his mother had started a month ago, but Kei does not mind.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaand the prince is here to save the damsel, lol
> 
> (i typed the chapter in Word, and it came to EXACTLY 100 in the word-count, yaay!)


	58. Plant watering duty and a crowd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100+ KUDOS!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!!

* * *

“Stand, bow!”

Tadashi is practically vibrating in his seat; the hurry to go so great that his seat-mate asks him if he wants to go to the washroom, to which he shakes his head fervently.

Just as the teacher says, “Dismissed!” Tadashi dashes out in a jiffy; but is stopped by a hand, “Plant-watering duty,” the teacher declares sternly.

He wants to pout but goes over to the nearly-dying plant and empties the water tumbler over it. Pushing through a crowd, Tadashi makes his way to the roof. The door is open and he takes this as a good sign.

* * *

 


	59. Statement sounding question

* * *

His heart almost leaps out of his ribcage when he sees a flash of blond in the right-most corner of the rooftop.

“Ke--” Tadashi stops, _not_ _again!_ “Tsukishima-kun!” he calls out.

At this, the other boy puts down his earphones that are half-way to his ears and turns around, “You came.”

It is a statement instead of a question – at least it does sound like a statement – and this makes him a lot happier than he was.

He shakes the bag of chips, “Sweet and salty, do you like them?”

Tsukishima-kun just shrugs noncommittally and Tadashi takes this as yes.

* * *

 

 

 


	60. Suppose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU MidnightEevee for bookmarking xox

* * *

Kei doesn’t know why he is eating potato chips of a flavour he doesn’t even like. Oh wait, he knows; he came here on his own after all. What he doesn’t know anymore is why he had nodded his head to eating sweet and salty chips… _ugh_ , they taste bad. Not that he is saying something.

But Yamaguchi-kun’s chatter feels good, he supposes. Just supposes, because it is not confirmed whether he likes it or not.

“—then Yagi-sen fell down while laughing, Ke- Tsukishima-kun? Are you listening?”

“It’s the second time,” Kei notes absently, “that you almost said my name.”

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> but why do i get the sinking feeling that this is getting worse with each chapter??


	61. Something else

* * *

The other boy’s face heats up like a heater coil and Kei thinks that it almost combusts before he turns his face and mutters, “You n-noticed?”

Kei stifles a laugh and stands up straighter, “Yeah, well.”

Yamaguchi-kun is so flushed; Kei is surprised that his face hasn’t burst into flames. “Why didn’t you say something? I thought that you hated your first name being called?”

He wasn’t wrong about that, Kei hates it when people call him like they know him too well, hates it when they can’t read the kanji too well.

“Just call me something else,” he says.  

* * *

 


	62. Embarrassment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it comes!!!

* * *

“E-EH?!”

Kei decides, this boy is too funny for his own good. All his reactions are golden. Kei bursts into hearty peals of laughter; the way his eyes widen and every freckle on his cheeks turns red and he splutters and stutters.

“A-are you making fun of me, Tsukishima-kun? Hey!”

Kei covers his mouth with a hand, willing his amusement to die down “I’ll admit it.” He holds out his other hand, “I said it just like that, okay?”

Yamaguchi-kun is still displeased about the response, and obviously embarrassed, “It’s not fair at all, saying selfish things like that, Tsukki." 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave kudos! and comment if you liked!!


	63. Tsukki

* * *

Kei is chewing that silly salty-but-sweet chip when he hears something that’s _supposed_ to be outrageous.

“-saying selfish things like that, Tsukki.”

There is no mistake, he heard that correct.

“Did you just say… _Tsukki_?”

“Yep.” Yamaguchi-kun is brimming with uncharacteristic confidence (though the red on his cheeks is defying the laws of nature). “Is that wrong?” he asks with no hesitation, as if it’s what he has already decided.

Kei is generally weak to the direct approach, and he is still wondering where all this boldness came from, but he can’t say that he hates this side of him.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh i want some action already, but they're too young!!!! wat 2 do ;_;


	64. Swept up

* * *

“Do whatever you like.”

  
Kei is almost too-used-to telling people to do ‘what they like’, and isn’t sure where this apathy stems from, but his mother, brother, not father, and pretty much half of everybody around him ‘did as they liked’; meanwhile Kei was careful to not to get swept up in their pace and mind his business.

  
However, that isn’t the case with Yamaguchi-kun.

  
The bell rings, and just like that, the much-awaited break is over for them. Kei wonders if the coming days will bring something more exciting. Well, getting a nickname was enough for today at least.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comment kudasai!


	65. Summer break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here comes the chapter, which i was very obviously going to title Time-skip, but then decided against it. this chapter is written in past tense.
> 
>  
> 
> THANK YOU Leaena for bookmarking!!

* * *

Spring passed like a breeze, soft, muted, nearly easy-going. The sun, high in the sky for May, was still irksome, but only during day. Unseasonal rains washed over the town, providing respite from hot and sticky evenings, and everybody fell into the unvaried school routine, albeit begrudgingly. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi continued meeting at the same place over the lunchbreak, sometimes ending their time together in giggles, sometimes quietly, but before the summer-break, definitely as friends who exchanged e-mail addresses through flip-phone infrared.

Yamaguchi went to Matsushima Bay for holidays, and Tsukishima often found himself wondering when they could catch up.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Matsushima is known as one of the three most scenic views of Japan, with a bay full of 260 small islands covered in pine groves.


	66. Proof

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you zankyounofuckyou for bookmarking <3 (btw, i love your username)

* * *

“What happened next?”

Kei picks up another slice of watermelon from the plate as he asks the question. Yamaguchi-kun launches into a vivid description about his cousin _almost_ drowning in the pool. His voice is… nice, Kei thinks, everything that he’d like his to be, when narrating some incident, energetic when needed. The thought is most off-putting.

 _Are we friends?_ Kei has since stopped asking himself that question. He thinks that meeting up during summer, calling each other just because they can, and listening to vacation plans like this, on a quiet afternoon, cicadas singing, fan whirring, is proof enough.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol tsukki that's called more than being friends but we'll come to that later ;)
> 
> so i have an idea what to do for tsukki's birthday, but if you have any idea how to fill the void between July and September, hmu @tumblr: l-o-lchan


	67. Pool

* * *

Thanks to Yamaguchi-kun, Kei’s summer is a lot more eventful than it has ever been. Today they are headed to the community swimming pool.

“ _Is_ this absolutely necessary?” Kei asks, hating to be pulled to a noisy pool by his right arm. The other boy does not answer and continues to lug him down the road with a silly smile on his face.

Receiving no response, Kei grunts disapprovingly, hoping for the last time that his lack of enthusiasm is contagious.

The sun is too hot and the clip-clop of their feet is the only noise in the quiet street.

* * *

 


	68. Duck swim-tube

* * *

“Ugh,” Kei growls. Yamaguchi-kun elbows him.

“It’s not like you came here for the first time, Tsukki.” He tries to reason.

Kei would like to explain that aside from compulsory pool time at school, he has had little to no experience in swimming, and he _can_ swim well, but he’d rather not be here. He stays silent instead.

The horribly annoying stench of chlorine and sweat filters through his nose and Kei pulls on a displeased look. Meanwhile, Yamaguchi-kun is making his way to the showers. He comes out a few moments later with a duck-shaped swim-tube around his waist.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dorky yams is what i live for!!


	69. Dinosaur swim-tube

* * *

Kei idly wonders what kind of a swim tube he would wear. _Dinosaurs?_ He is sure he has seen those somewhere. _Strawberries?_ He is hundred-percent sure those are available, that too in a highly gaudy pink shade that Kei would most _definitely_ not wear even if he died.

Anyway, Yamaguchi-kun is making a beeline for where Kei is sitting, so he pulls on a bugged-off face for now.

“Are you sure?” he asks, for the nth and most likely, the last time.

“Yeah,” Kei replies.

There is resignation in the green-haired boy’s voice as he tells him to ‘enjoy nonetheless’.

* * *

 


	70. Chapter 70

* * *

“Hey, did you see those _earrings_?”

“Yea, omg! Did you see her red dress?”

“She’s just trying to show-off, didn’t you think her legs looked _hideous_?”

“I _totally_ want to buy those stilettos!”

Kei is bored out of his mind. He is also contemplating his life choices, his existence. He is also wondering if all girls talk only in questions and exclamations, or if they are always talking about some parties. He is also pondering what he had done to land here.

A weary sigh escapes his lips; going with Yamaguchi-kun might have been better than  _this_ , whatever this was.  

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for making Kei think so disparagingly about girls, but boys probably do, idk i'm not a boy, but i'll tell you that girls _do_ talk like that sometimes, just not all (so pls don't generalize ok pls)


	71. Chapter 71

* * *

Yamaguchi-kun can’t swim, Kei can see that. He is dabbling in the water, supported by the air tube, one hand clutching the metal bar that surrounds the rickety pool.

Kei rolls his eyes, and crouches down to him.

“Move your arms freely,” he instructs, and it comes out more like a trainer than he had intended to. The green-haired boy looks up and the first thing than happens is that a huge smile spreads on his face, almost reaching his ears. Kei shifts in his squatting position uncomfortably, resting his elbows on his knees to balance.

“Come on,” he urges.  

* * *

 


	72. Chapter 72

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first of all: Thank you for 2000+ hits, everyone!!!!!  
> THANK YOU Azelaren and Liebheart FOR BOOKMARKING!!!

* * *

“Why do you insist on it?” Kei asks. Yamaguchi-kun is paddling the water, hands gripping Kei’s tightly.

“Swimming?”

“Yeah,” Kei says, “Even though you don’t how to.” Kei likes to lay facts bare without an ounce of hesitation.

“Isn’t it fun,” Yamaguchi-kun looks up, “To try unknown things?” He turns in the water, letting go of Kei’s hands and holding them when he is in the position for a backstroke. “Beside, it’s summer.”

Kei thinks he sees a glint of mischief shine through his eyes, but it’s difficult to tell like this. Suddenly he is being pulled into the water.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is it too apparent that i've never been to a pool? lol i watched the 1st ep of free! if that helps pls forgive me..


	73. Chapter 73

* * *

“Is it funny?” Kei begins, but the rest of the sentence is dead in his throat as he coughs out some water.

Kei moves to stand, his five-feet-two height a clear advantage in the four-and-a-half feet deep pool. Yamaguchi-kun apparently cannot stop laughing and Kei would have ducked his head underwater if he wasn’t wearing that super-buoyant swim tube.

“Tsukki, you, a-hahaha,” Yamaguchi-kun is beginning to have a fit from all the laughter, Kei thinks. He crosses his arms over his chest and rests a foot against the wall of the pool in defiance, “ _Really_ funny.”

Yamaguchi-kun just laughs more.

* * *

 


	74. Chapter 74

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!100+ guest kudos!! THANX!!

* * *

Kei hates it more than anything. His clothes stick to him like second skin, his hair is a mess and his glasses are _wet_ (Kei hates _that_ the most.) He wonders why he even agreed to coming.  

He studies the laughing boy’s face for a minute. Without a thought, the next thing he does is cup water in hands, and throws it on his face; the look he gives is perfect and justifies all that Kei has suffered in the past half-an-hour. Yamaguchi-kun does the same and then it _is_ a water fight.

Kei wonders why he does not mind.

* * *

 


	75. Cold

* * *

They are ushered out of the place by the life-guard, who thinks they are making way too much noise for unattended children, and should be going home anyway.

“Tsukki, won’t you catch a cold?” Yamaguchi-kun asks. The same thing had bugged Kei the moment he (unwillingly) stepped into the water.

“Do you want me to bring you a change of clothes?”

Kei declines, saying that won’t running home and taking a shower be quicker? Yamaguchi-kun nods. They stop by the convenience store to get ice-cream; strawberry for Kei and plain vanilla for Yamaguchi-kun.

The next day, Kei catches his cold.

* * *

 


	76. Text message

* * *

Kei blinks blearily at his phone screen. No messages. Two days and he is stuck at home with nothing but rice gruel to eat, warm green tea to drink (in summers!), a wet cloth almost drilled to his forehead when his mother found out about the cold, and – no messages.

Amidst his mind-numbing boredom, the idea of completing summer homework somehow makes it to his priority list, which he rejects, and considers going back to sleep, but he has done nothing but sleep for the past two days and­-

The phone buzzes in his hand

_> >Are you feeling alright, Tsukki??!? >.<_

* * *

 


	77. Chapter 77

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ao3 doesn't count angle brackets as words??? my word count is messed up because of that :((

* * *

“No, I’m not,” Kei says out loud. He types

_> > Yeah, almost_

and presses send before he can change his mind.

_> > Almost!?!!!_

The reply has way too exclamation points for a question. Between thinking of a reply and rolling his eyes, it occurs to him that their messages increased the count of two for the first time.

_> > Not really, I meant_

_> > Oh, get well soon_

Kei manages a tiny smile despite how woozy he feels after all those pills. He vaguely wonders if their messaging session is over.

Yamaguchi-kun does not send a message.

Neither does Kei.

It definitely is over.

* * *

 


	78. Chapter 78

* * *

The next day finds Kei fit and fine. That is why he is in the middle of a crowded supermarket queue, waiting for groceries to be billed.

“When will we move, nii-chan?” he asks impatiently, to an equally troubled Akiteru.

“I dunno Kei, it shouldn’t take as long as it is taking,” he answers.

Kei just sighs, he would normally expect the convenience store to be empty on a weekday, but that was obviously assuming that people had an actual _job_ to do other than to shop.

They get out of the place after another half-an-hour of pushing and pulling.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah, tsukki calls his brother nii-chan, just kill me why don't you


	79. Chapter 79

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you Lunarpilot for the bookmark!! <3

* * *

“Kei, how about we stop by the bakery?” Akiteru asks. Kei’s ears perk up, “The bakery?” he tries to reign in some of his surprise and excitement, “Won’t we be late?”

“Your choice, my treat.” Akiteru shrugs.

* * *

“How’s school?”

Kei stops. He should have known. “Is this your way of getting me to talk?”

Akiteru remains silent. Then he pays the bill and they reach home. Outside the door, Akiteru sighs again. He pauses to ruffles Kei’s hair, “Grow even taller and play well, okay?”

Perhaps the only problem between them, Kei surmises, is that they answer questions with questions.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a sense of sadness in the relationship between the brothers. they don't want to talk about past incidents: kei is hurt, and aki is sorry. "that type of unspoken silence, uncomfortable air" is what i wanted to project in the text this time.


	80. Chapter 80

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG people are still reading this, it makes me so happy :))))

* * *

The next day, Kei finally settles to start his homework assignments. He leafs through the pages, bored, recalling when they had done this in class and that in cram school. His phone beeps.

_> > Tsukki, wanna go karaoking??_

His mouth pulls into a downward line.

_> > I’m studying_

He hopes that the implied message _I’m busy_ makes itself clear.

_> > :( you’re no fun_

Kei rolls his eyes. After musing for a bit, he types,

_> > when are you going?_

_> > in the evening_

Kei hesitates, but

_> > ok_

_> > yaay! 5 pm?_

Kei’s evening winds up singing One Ok Rock and Bump of Chicken songs on repeat.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have very little idea about Japanese rock bands tbh... except vocaloid, so i just took the names of trending ones ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	81. Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so bad, i ran away again ;-;

* * *

The rest of summer break passes swiftly. Frequently, Kei finds himself being dragged to the ice-cream parlour, cinema or karaoke. Even the summer festival.

They stand there, on a lonely cliff where Yamaguchi-kun had said the view was the best, watching fireworks. Kei isn't a fan to begin with, but he is.

“Isn’t it beautiful? I love fireworks!”

Kei replies, with the usual dash of indifference injected, “It is fine, I guess.”

The other boy turns to him, awe written all over his face, “ _Amazing_ ,” he breathes out. Kei was almost about to ask what, but then he remembers what.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the sound of falling in love *crashes and booms heard far off*


	82. Walking home

* * *

School starts a week after. The day is bright, sunny, and everything Kei does not want it to be.

“You don’t look too well, Tsukki.” Yamaguchi-kun says on their way home.

 _Things aren’t very well_ , Kei wants to say. “Why are we walking home together?” he asks instead.

The succinct wording surprises Yamaguchi-kun, “Didn’t we always?”

Kei glances at him sideways. He vaguely wonders when it became so natural for them to walk together, and Kei not to mind; and if he’ll say something at his lack of response.

He doesn’t.

The awkward pause stretches on into the fading sunset.

* * *

 


	83. You're noisy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inception of the very famous phrase--

* * *

“… that being said, isn’t your birthday real soon, Tsukki?”

Kei swings his neck to glance at Yamaguchi-kun, who is sitting near the grills overlooking the school ground. “Nah,” he replies, “That’s … not really, it’s a month later, I guess, 27 September.”

Yamaguchi-kun hums in response, “You guess?”

Kei remains silent.

“So your zodiac sign is Libra, huh… I’m a Scorpion.”

“I don’t really see the point in such things,”

Out of nowhere: “What’s your height, Tsukki?”

“Around 160 cm.”

“Weight?”

“Around 45 kg.”

“That’s less.”

Kei frowns, then says, “You’re really chatty today.”

“Am I?”

“You’re noisy, Yamaguchi.”

“Sorry, Tsukki!”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (little do they know) *shakes head*  
> literal translation of the phrase: 'urusai' is actually 'too noisy'. "shut up" may come later, as they are just elementary kids rn  
> 


	84. Tanabata

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //slowly creeps back with unrelated arc  
> uh, hi? i haven't updated in a month and you can throw tomatoes if you wanna?  
> this time, i'm making no promises because we know what happened last time...

* * *

Kei never had much interest in festivals, but if it was Tanabata, he looked forward to the firework display in the evening. What he actually doesn’t like are the long speeches teachers tended to give in favour of it.

“Tsukki, are you bored?” Yamaguchi-kun whispers from the seat behind. Immediately, all drowsiness leaves Kei’s being and his shoulders go up.

He calms himself down by thinking how he is sitting in front only because of the _name_ _order_.

 _It’s the same story every year, isn’t it? It’s boring._ he writes on the corner of his notebook and tears the page.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100 words and its done  
> i hope to keep up the streak because if i don't i'll feel like i'm wronging all of you :'((


	85. Duty

* * *

Kei passes the note when the teacher turns her head to write down the duty roster on the board. The whole class was divided in six groups and each was to make six of the seven symbolic decorations items: paper kimono, cranes, purses, nets, trash cans and streamers. Everyone would write wishes and thank you notes on straps, of course. 

Kei isn't surprised. He expects this, having done it for four years.  

 _Same old, same old_ , he chants in his mind.

Meanwhile Yamaguchi-kun writes out his reply and nudges Kei's shoulder. 

_Hmm... that is so... :@_

A smile curls Kei's lips.

* * *


	86. Territory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you raverag for bookmarking the story!! (srsly tho, bookmarks are so rare)

* * *

Kei feels a bit glad-- at this being familiar territory and at the fact that the teacher hasn’t noticed yet. He shoves the note in his bag where no one can see it.  

Suddenly, Yamaguchi-kun pokes him between his shoulders and Kei jumps. A squeak nearly erupts from his mouth but he slaps a hand over to stop it. Kei swears he can hear stifled laughter from behind. (He also makes a mental note to send Yamaguchi-kun the meanest glare he can during lunch.)

Thankfully, the class is too busy to notice what’s happening at the end of the room.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated!!


	87. Odd

* * *

Tadashi knows it isn’t difficult for things to find themselves in Tsukki’s “boring” category. Right now, the slump of his shoulders, the dip of his head dictates that he wants to go out of the class, wants to be anywhere but here. Do something else, perhaps? Dance outside, maybe? The weather is good.

He pokes Tsukki between his shoulders unthinkingly. Tsukki jumps and almost screams and it’s funnier than Tadashi thought it would be. He bites his lower lip to stop a laugh.

The duty roster is finally up: Tsukki get paper cranes, he gets purses. Tadashi feels oddly alone.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol omg Yama, Tsukki will perhaps never dance!!! even if his life depended on it...


	88. Hanky

* * *

“What was _that_?” Kei hisses as soon as the bell rings.

“What was what?” Yamaguchi-kun asks back. He has a spaced out look on his face, something Kei didn’t expect. Nonetheless, he wasn’t one to forgive easily.

“Nothing, if you don’t remember.” He walks out.

“Ah, Tsukki! Wait!”

* * *

The lunch passes with Kei trying to maintain his disposition and Yamaguchi-kun trying to out-blabber a comedy show. Nothing out of ordinary. The wind blows pleasantly against their faces, Kei is thankful for his glasses. Yamaguchi-kun’s eyes water with a powerful gust.

“Take this,” Kei says, offering his handkerchief “It’s not used.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAAHHH!! ･:*:･(*///∇///*)･:*:･


	89. Trees

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm just... speechless. thank you for the bookmarks, JaniceLikesStuff, limminette and yasumineyams!!!! seriously you guys make me so happy, ahhhhh :))) and the comments too!!

* * *

“Is it okay?” asks Yamaguchi-kun. Kei nods.

Yamaguchi-kun takes it and wipes his eyes. It takes some effort for Kei to look away. He tries to notice how tall the trees in the school compound have grown, all without the rain that the town has been missing out on, too! How hard the gardeners must be—

Then he hears a loud honk.

“Hey, I didn’t say you could blow your nose.”

“Eh? But you wouldn’t use it anyway, would you?”

Kei pauses in thought. “Of course.”

“That’s okay, Tsukki, I’ll wash and bring it.”

Kei’s mouth goes a small ‘o’.

* * *

 


	90. Chapter 90

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have a second chapter too coz ily guys \o/

* * *

Kei is in a daze after classes.

_I’ll wash it and bring it._

Did he specially stress ‘wash’? Or ‘bring’? Or was Kei’s mind playing a trick on him? And didn’t that sound incredibly like what a _girl_ would say?

Kei’s cheeks pink a bit.

 _No, no,_ their world history teacher had once told them that it wasn’t good to associate specific behaviours with gender roles, or something.

He shakes his head violently to rid it of idiotic thoughts.

Yamaguchi-kun comes running behind him. “Tsukki, wanna race?” He runs ahead without waiting.

“Wait,” Kei calls out and runs after him.

* * *

 


	91. Beginnings

* * *

The next day Kei sleeps through his alarm. His mom wakes him up saying that there’s only twenty minutes until school starts.

“Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?” he yells from behind the door, trying to fix his tight jeans faster.

“You are a big boy now Kei, learn your responsibilities.” She says. “Your lunch is on the table.”

“Ugh.” Kei mumbles, but he _has_ to deal with it.

As he is hurrying out of the house, the rebellious thought of leaving his food back home grips him. But he remembers what happened last time, and takes it along.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you remember what happened last time, you'll know huehuehue (Yams and Tsukki shared a lunch when Tsukki forgot to bring his)


	92. Of a bad day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yasumineyams and thesilverletterxx, thank you so much for being so lovely ♡♡♡ This is for you both!!

* * *

In his hurry, Kei forgets many things. Like brushing his hair, which he does do in the end, but while running to school. A great Stare that takes hold their class as soon as he enters, out of breath and panting.

“Kei-kun is… late?” the teacher breathes, as if it is unbelievable that this could happen.

He rolls his eyes and takes his seat in front of Yamaguchi-kun. He mumbles a small “Hello” when he turns to rest his backpack beside the desk.

“Tsukki, your glasses?”

Kei puts his hands to his eyes only to poke his right eye sharply.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> read this and the previous chapter's titles together, they make a sentence


	93. Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keep thinking if i should change the summary a bit...

* * *

Immediate biological reaction to the direct poking of an eye is watering. Kei's eye waters badly.   
"Here," Yamaguchi-kun offers him something and Kei, helpless, puts it to his eye.

The thing smells nice, like a good fabric softener actually. Sudden realization hits Kei and he turns his head, “My—“

Yamaguchi-kun smiles a smile that bares all his teeth. A strange shyness takes over Kei, turns his face a bit warm and he turns away.

_Oh._

This is how it feels when someone returns a borrowed thing back.

Kei finds himself being conscious of all movement around him during the class.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> these two are soooooo in love, just realize it already!!!


	94. Shoujo manga

* * *

Kei had only once read a shoujou manga: when his brother had bought it two years ago to ‘understand a girl’s heart’, as he put it. In that, the hero (who was super _lame_ , just by the way) was given a bento from the girl he liked. The girl (who was okay) had handed it to him, blushed, and run away. The words ‘doki doki’ were printed all over the page.

Kei had shut the book there and then. He had not understood it then, but now that he himself feels nervous, for apparently no reason, he thinks he understands.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm just posting this, but i think i'll change it later idkkkk ;(


	95. Chapter 95

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 95th chapter!!! wohoo i feel so old

* * *

Lunch is the usual. Yamaguchi-kun is saying something about the dolphins he once saw on a family trip, as he swings from side-to-side on the railing. Kei wants to pay less attention to it than he is.

“Oh, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi-kun steps down. “What are you doing about the club-shifting?”

_That._ Well.

Kei is too satisfied with his book-reading club to care, actually. The club is a quiet affair, meeting up once or twice a week to a book report. It takes Kei almost no effort to write it, and the teachers are happy, so he is happy.

“I won’t change.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you ElvishWriter for bookmarking!! i appreciate it so much :)


	96. Chapter 96

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you ActualAnimeTrash for bookwarking this work!! :)

* * *

 

Yamaguchi-kun frowns, “Why not?”

“It’s boring, and a waste of my time.” Kei replies simply.

“I’m going to join the volleyball club.” The other boy states, even though Kei didn't ask. “It will be fun,” he then says, with a burning conviction, “Let’s try it out together, okay?”

Kei’s shoulders slump slightly and he has to remind himself to not to give in _this_ time.  

“No. We cannot do that,” he says. _I cannot join the volleyball club_ , he adds in his mind.

He sees a query bubble up on his friends’ face and turns his face away. Silence ensues.

* * *

 


	97. One day try outs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gah i'm so bad!!!!!

* * *

“Ok…” Tadashi says. The gears in his mind are running, thinking of a workable compromise. “But can you try it for one day?” he gingerly adds a _please_.

Tsukki looks at him sideways, chopsticks in his mouth. “What do you mean?” he asks.

“You know, there is this ‘offer’ in all sports clubs: the one-day try outs. We can try all the clubs for a day or two, and _then_ decide if we want to join.” Tadashi stops for a moment to see how Tsukki digests this news.

His eyes are slightly wide. “Ok, I’ll go with you…”

Tadashi fist-pumps.

* * *

 


	98. Disband

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm /such/ a bad updater but IN MY DEFENSE, this time i have reasons:  
> 1) i had a physics test today, thus was burning the midnight-lamp yesterday  
> 2) i have a cold. this might seem like a lame excuse for not writing, but it really!! is!! horrible!! my head is cracking open with the pain :((  
> the test went good so i'm happy about that tho

* * *

The try-outs aren’t until next week, and Kei finds himself wondering if he’ll leave his faithful book-reading club. _Faithful_ , because it hadn’t given him the problems he had expected out of the after-school activity. 

Kei almost feels sad abandoning it. _Almost_. 

When he brings up the matter at the second weekly meeting on Friday, the President looks up from her book and says, “I will be leaving this club.”

Kei is a bit surprised; he had thought that the prim girl would keep her club together.

“Didn’t you know, Tsukishima-kun,” she continues, “The book-reading club may have to be disbanded."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAND +100 comments??? (even though half of them are my own)  
> AAAAAAND almost 200 KUDOS???  
> THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! *v*  
> tho i'm getting a bit nervous as this approaches 100 chapters


	99. Chapter 99

* * *

The sudden revelation leaves Kei a bit unsettled, and his brow creases as he reads the assignment of the day. It may be his last.

The club gets over by five—the usual—and Kei heads home. Yamaguchi-kun isn’t with him, as was their routine on Wednesdays and Fridays. He searches his bag for his earphones and his Walkman. He plugs in one ear and leaves the other to listen for sounds on the road.

Passing cars and pedestrians raise some dust that makes Kei cough. The clouds look like they could burst into raindrops any moment.

Kei hurries home.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know, srsly you know what? i can only be thankful for how sweet everybody has been to me during this one!! i'll be writing a full-fledged, well-deserved thank you note to all those sweet people who were with me, so make sure you check out my tumblr! i'll be linking the post anyways *V*


	100. Chapter 100

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey heys!!!! so this is the final chapter!!! i mean not the last, but certainly concluding in a way. i'm so happy, and AMAZED i had not really expected this to last this long. i mean, i /had/ thought what if it reaches a century but to actually do that??? that's 10K words (omg i have no idea even, i wrote this????)
> 
> thank you sexybookworm for bookmarking!!! :D

* * *

Kei flops down on his bed, feeling lethargic even though today wasn’t any out-of-ordinary effort to get through. He glances towards his bag, wondering if he should start with homework already.

He gives up after some thought: he doesn’t have cram-school today and tomorrow is a half-day. He texts Yamaguchi-kun instead.

_> > looks like I’ll be joining the volleyball club anyway, the book club will be disbanded :/_

_> > that’s sad, why?_

_> > president’s graduating this year and lack of members? Idk_

_> > I’m happy for you :DD_

Kei lets out a chuckle.

_> > w8 I might actually join the tea-tasting club, they seem better_

_> > tsukki!!! >.<_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hah, i'm tired.  
> [the post you would like to read if you've followed me till here](http://l-o-lchan.tumblr.com/)  
> THANK YOU LITERALLY THANK YOU SO MUCH  
> no matter how much i say it, it's less, you ppl are so good. i wanted to make a list of all those who have been so kind to me over these six months, but i sure would forget someone so that wouldn't be justice, but! in any case, you know who you are, and my heartfelt thanks go out to you all :D there's no emoji to make the grin i'm grinning here :DDDDD
> 
> all my effort is so worth this moment :')
> 
> the story will now be on a hiatus for two days as i will be preparing for a chemistry exam (that's on tuesday, arggghh) and planning what to do next. i've left the story pretty much hanging, and that's sad because i had wanted to deliver some closure to it and to do justice to my "fans" (if i could call you that *blushes* omg *cringes* //hides face) but what's done is done... i will return on the 29th of july, (which also happens to be my bday *v*) with a new chapter :)) 
> 
> until then, i'll decide what to do next, and if you have thoughts, comments, etc, msg me on tumblr or comment below :))
> 
> (wow this ended up being longer than the chappie itself, forgive)


	101. Glasses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm late? i'm late, so here have two chapters!!  
> sorry sorry, pls forgive, real life happens and i get so stuck ;;;  
> anyways, here's what i dubbed the '2nd installment' in my brain, because i had planned on continuing the story separately after 100 chapters. but seeing as i have not closed it off properly, i'll continue here rn, we'll see the rest in future. 
> 
> ThAnK YoU reader713 for BoOkMaRkInG!!

* * *

“Tsukki, when did you get your glasses?” Yamaguchi-kun asks.

“ _That’s_ the first thing you ask on a Monday morning?” Kei looks at him from over the rim of his spectacles.

“Just curious,” the freckled boy explains with a grin. He sets down his backpack and takes a seat.

Kei notices a few students turn back and whisper excitedly. He wonders how they could be so energetic _Monday_. “Third grade,” he replies.

“That’s really early,” Yamaguchi-kun surmises, and suddenly Kei gets the feeling that Yamaguchi-kun keeps extracting information out of him. The teacher steps in before he can say something back.

* * *

 


	102. Dinosaurs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here they are, and they will EAT you

* * *

After the bell rings, Kei swings around to sit on his chair horizontally. “What about you?” he starts, wondering if Yamaguchi-kun remembers their conversation that ~~has been playing in Kei’s mind~~ was fragmented about an hour ago.

“What about me?”

He doesn’t. _Great_.

“Uhh…” Kei isn’t sure how it works, but Yamaguchi-kun never seemed so good at deflecting conversation until today. Suddenly he has nothing to say.

“Do you like dinosaurs?” he blurts out.

Yamaguchi-kun stares at him, bewildered. He stops his book-hunting and sits up straight. “Tsukki, do you like dinosaurs?”

Kei wants to bury his head under snow.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gdi, tsukki, your flirting attempts are as bad as a 40 y/o's   
> gdi, me, you have no good ideas, now go to sleep  
> bye, world


	103. Godzilla

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to all those wonderful ppl who comment: sorry if my replies are a bit late, i might /seem/ inconsiderate, but i /will/ always get back to you :)

* * *

“Yes,” Kei answers, in a small voice, feeling equal parts embarrassment and humiliation show up on his face in a red flush.

Yamaguchi-kun smiles, “That’s great! Even I like Godzilla!”

Kei quirks his eyebrow at the fact that the green giant had become synonymous with _dinosaurs_ when in all reality it was a _half-gorilla_ , but lets it go at that. He is somehow relieved that Yamaguchi-un didn’t give a loud exclamation and announce this to the class.

“So…” he starts again, “Want to see that new Godzilla movie on Sunday?”

In all honesty, Kei is too surprised to even reply.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my, yams where is this confidence coming from? but i am a bit happy that things are moving on. if it seems OOC, thennnnnnnn,,,, you are free to throw tomatoes ;;;


	104. Chapter 104

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okayyyyy, so if you've read the manga, you will know that tsukki CAN blush and act cute so you will NOT throw those tomatoes at me *dodges*

* * *

“What?”

“Eh, no—I mean…” Tadashi stammers, losing his nerve as soon as the words tumble out of his mouth. Tsukki still looks at him in bewilderment.

“Did you—”

“ _Nothing_ ,” he stresses. “I said nothing.”

Tsukki turns away, brows twisted in a frown.

Tadashi slumps forward, and sighs in defeat; he wills something to dispel the air of awkwardness between them. The class resumes.

* * *

The next day, Tadashi pledges to walk into the class and _not_ get utterly embarrassed by what he says. “Hi Tsukki!” he starts cheerily then pales at two slips of paper his friend throws at him.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> memes ahoy


	105. Things that can't be helped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ummmm, i live for tsukki calling aki 'nii-chan' so i will not change that to 'brother' plz plz bear with it //(nosebleeds in corner at tsukki's cuteness)

* * *

“Uh, what are those?”

Tsukki rolls his eyes. “Tickets. Sunday, 5 p.m. We’re going to watch Jurassic World.”

“Eh? But I thought that I said Godzilla?” Tadashi says in a rush, forgetting for a moment that he was supposed to deny the very fact he was accepting.  

“Can’t be helped,” he says, “Nii-chan had free tickets.”

“Oh, then it can’t be helped, indeed,” Tadashi says in understanding and nods his head vigorously. He takes his seat before the teacher comes in.

“Oh and, Tsukki, remember we have that one-day volleyball club on Thursday?”

Tsukki nods.

Classes pass very slowly.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol i havent the slightest idea what goes on in dino movies,,, guess i'll have to research a lot


	106. Chapter 106

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a lil flashback from tsukki pov

* * *

Kei thinks that he heard the word ‘movie’, but he isn’t sure.

“Did you—”

“ _Nothing_ ,” says Yamaguchi-kun. “I said nothing.”

Kei turns away. Weird. It is also unlike him to be so defensive considering what Kei thinks he said. But he lets it be.

He goes home in an odd sort of trance that day.

His brother waves to him when he gets home after cram-school.

“Hey, how’re you doing?” he asks. Kei shrugs, “Fine, I guess.”

“You guess?” he laughs.

Kei can’t say he is amused _or_ interested.

“Say, I’ve got these free tickets for Sunday.”

 _Now_ , he is.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter turned out meh but meh, i'm sleep-drunk, so if u will excuse me zzz


	107. Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a BIG thank you to all those who leave nice comments, you make me day the best!!! :)) (even if i say this, it won't seem like i speak the truth because i always say this, but this is where communication over the internet /really/ fails *sighs* because i DO flail over everything, even if it doesn't look like it) sorry just rambles

* * *

“Which movie?”

“Jurassic world.”

Kei’s ears perk up and his eyes go wide, “Jurassic… world?” Akiteru gives him a knowing smile. “You wanna go?” Kei nods frantically.

Akiteru narrows his eyes, “But didn’t you watch it already?”

While that is true, Kei wouldn’t _mind_ watching it a second time. “Please, nii-chan?”

His brother laughs, “No need to say it like that, just promise me you’ll do well at school and your club?”

He doesn’t like the extra condition that comes with it, but he has no choice. He nods. “Actually, I may join the volleyball club…”

Now Akiteru seems interested.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing aki is a bit tough,,, so thanks to all who liked him here!! :)


	108. One time thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things move forward (??)

* * *

“Oh, you are?” he asks.

Kei nods, “It’s just a one-day thing, but…”

The very mention of volleyball still stings with betrayal, with deception, with _disappointment_. Even though it was a year ago, Kei does not know how his brother can smile about it.

“Do the blocks correctly okay?” he says excitedly, “Not just blocking, you just BAM!” He stands up suddenly and Kei gets surprised. “Try to put the ball over the net with some force, okay Kei?”

Kei nods in understanding. It isn’t like they’ll make them play the first day, but he tries to absorb the information.

* * *

 


	109. Solely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to update 3 today, but my mom came back home so i had to switch off the laptop (sighs)

* * *

Thursday comes all too fast and before he knows it, Kei is standing in the smelly clubroom, changing into gym clothes. The school is off on Friday and Saturday, declared off for some reason that he didn’t bother listening to, so the students around him seem even more excited to chat.

Kei can practically _hear_ the excitement.

“It’s just a club…” he mutters under his breath, wearing his glasses back.

Yamaguchi-kun bounds up after him as he steps out. “Hey, Tsukki! Isn’t this so cool?”

“You’re too loud, Yamaguchi.”  

“Sorry, Tsukki!”

They enter the third, and the last, gymnasium together.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldn't NOT make it the third gym omg!!!! i SO love it lol (my babies from the 3rd gym, how i love them)  
> but since their school may not be taking part in too many sports, i made it the last one... only big 'powerhouse' schools may have more than 3 gyms, is what i think :/


	110. A

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaa

* * *

A tall, strong-looking boy jogs towards them. He introduces himself as the captain. “I am Takada Fuu. Welcome to the volleyball club!”

“Go ahead and call him senpai!” a light-haired player who is putting stray balls into the ball-basket shouts from the back.

“S-Shut up!” Takada calls out over his shoulder, his cheeks tinted red. “Sorry, that’s the vice-captain—”

“Takada-senpai!” Yamaguchi-kun shouts, “Let us do our best today!” The captain looks surprised at the sudden outburst, but he smiles back, “Yeah, let’s!”

Kei can barely contain his urge to roll his eyes. Uselessly hot-blooded people annoy him to no end. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new OCs introduced, i hope you like them!! (been a while)


	111. Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU GirlWhoQuacks for bookmarking this work!!~~
> 
> summary: tsukki being the huffy teenager who doesn't want to be ANYWHERE (*annoyed voice*: i didn't ask to be born okay!!)

* * *

Approximately twenty boys stand in line. “Begin introducing yourselves!” the captain shouts. He stands at the side, with the vice-captain, arms crossed over his chest, the school jersey draped over his shoulders. The coach walks in before they start and everybody bows. Kei hates that they have to act as if they are _already_ a part of the club.  

Introduction begins from the opposite end. Beside him, Yamaguchi-kun heaves a sigh of relief. He grins and Kei looks away.

At the other end of the gym, the captain of the girl’s volleyball team was giving her team a pep talk.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo,,, the main question: will they join the club or not?


	112. Recommendation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the progress is slow, i know, gomen  
> life is being busy, school is being a little shit, its a miracle i get post even one a day... (i was thinking of a hiatus, but not now, not when i have such lovely readers)

* * *

“I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi! I want to join the volleyball club because sports improve stamina!”

A few people snicker, the captain and the coach smile, “Not because you like the sport?”

“Ah, that’s part reason too!”

In almost all these clubs, Kei notices, there is the Unwritten Law: shout out everything. Your volume relays your level of “seriousness”. Kei hates this.

Yamaguchi-kun nudges him, and now it’s his chance to speak. He regrets not having picked up on snippets of others’ monologues to mouth some typecast excuse.

“I’m Tsukishima Kei. I’m here on…” Kei thinks for a bit, “A friend’s recommendation.”

* * *

 


	113. Setter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to: GirlWhoQuacks and thesilverletterxx,  
> i didn't reply to your comments on chapter 112 because i was laughing too hard  
> j/k thanks for being sweeties, it made me smile :)

* * *

Practice begins. The coach asks the assembled boys if they would like to see one set between the current team members. Many agree.

“Sensei,” the captain interrupts. “Could we ask if some of them have played before?”

“I doubt if we could find a setter, but—”

A brown-haired boy raises his hand from across the court. “Me!” he exclaims, “I’ve played as setter on my previous team.”

How he even heard what they said from across was something Kei would never know.

“You’re new to the school?” the coach asks. He nods.

“Then, it’s decided. Do we have a spiker?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had to make the setter some other hair-colored than black, or it'll be kageyama all over again in my head,,,  
> btw takada-senpai also plays as setter!! (because captain setters, just slay me now)


	114. Demand

* * *

_How would_ he _describe himself?_ With volleyball experience, or without it?

 _What experience, even?_ It was just him watching his brother lose his confidence on court.

_Was cheering a team so fulfilling? Was it worth wasting your three years of high school on? Is this sport **so satisfying**? _

Several questions fill Kei’s head, and he finds himself unable to stand still. He clenches and unclenches his fist, suddenly feeling angry, demanding answers.

Kei thanks his bored poker face for not giving away what he is feeling. The surroundings are like a blur. His throat feels oddly constricted.

“I’m feeling sick.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the sudden change of feelings is like, sooo uncalled for and so sudden. this chapter is shit. i'll probably edit later because if you read these in continuity, they probably won't make sense. esp this last chapter


	115. Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (shamelessly rolls back after a week) i have no excuses except procrastination u_u
> 
> THANK YOU ringopie FOR THE BOOKMARK!!~~ I REALLY APPRECIATE IT :)

* * *

“Ah, Tsukki can--” Tadashi starts to say but stops short.

“I’m feeling sick.” Tsukki says quickly.

“What?”

“I feel sick,” he repeats. “I’m going.”

“Tsukki, what’s up?” Tadashi says loud enough for the captain and the coach to hear. They're looking in their direction now.

“Is there a problem?” Takada-senpai asks.

“My friend isn’t feeling too well…” he explains.

“Stop, Yamaguchi.”

“Yeah?” The captain jogs up to them and looks at the blond. The vice-captain and coach follow suit. “Rest at the side for a while,” he says.

“Ok…”

Tadashi thinks that Tsukki wants to say something else to that.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaa so, i was thinking a lot abt ch 114 but since no one said anything, i'm rolling with this for now...


	116. End line

* * *

Kei thinks about going away. He thinks about hiding, not coming to school the next day, going away from this place. He thinks about the game he has so wanted to escape and how he has tangled himself up in it, too close for comfort. His mind is racing with thoughts, most of them unfeasible.

Kei looks down and sees the soles of his shoes tap together. He takes a few deep breaths to calm himself and gathers his thoughts. After a few moments, the decision seems clear to him: he has to finish what he started.

He stands up.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think tsukki's lack of determination and his mental block had influenced me too *feels lazy*  
> now i'll be seeing this fic to its end. tbh, this past week has been hell. i've contemplated abandoning this fic, deleting it n a lot of other things,,, but all of my readers are too sweet!!! esp thesilverletterxx, to whom i'm v v grateful =3=  
> so yeah, i think i'm here, preferably to last for a while...


	117. Back

* * *

Kei approaches the captain and grinds out the words hesitatingly, “Takada-senpai,”

He is taken aback at his quick recovery. “Everything alright?”

“Yes, may I join the game?” Kei tries to crack a smile, to make it seem that he is _eager_ —yeah he is, just not enough to show it and just enough to get this over with. The smile does not come.

The captain nods and motions for the vice to stop the game. The sharp whistle grates on Kei’s ears. He is told to take a position on the right side of the net—opposite Yamaguchi-kun, he notices.

* * *

 


	118. Tall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this arc is stretching too long maybe, and they still have the movie date to go to…  
> n omg tsukki is 6 2” n he’s just 15 omgggggg  
> in this chapter he;s like 5 5” or 5 6” idk he’s 11 y/o so…

* * *

The game is too easy; Kei’s height gives him an almost unfair advantage over all the kids. All he has to do is jump, and the ball slams down on the opposite side.

“Why is he so tall?” Kei hears the spiker mutter. He wants to say I heard you, but turns away.

He makes it a point to push his hands forward the next time.

“Tch,” the ace—Kei is assuming, seeing as his wits are so scattered—glares at him openly, as if warning him. Kei maintains a vacant expression.

“ _Cool_ _!_ Tsukki!” Yamaguchi-kun hollers.

Kei’s life is over.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAHAHA BURN IN THE ETERNAL FLAMES OF EMBARRASSMENT TSUKKI  
> n omg tsukki actually trying to play well wow  
> this chapter had too much i guess  
> anyway
> 
> THANK YOU Emmers98 FOR BOOKMARKING =3=


	119. Chapter 119

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG 250 KUDOS THANKS!!!

* * *

 

_Tweeeeeeeeeeeeet!_

The game ends with 19-25, 19 on Yamaguchi-kun’s team’s side, and 25 on Kei’s side.

“Your blocks saved us; when I saw the Fukuda—that’s the ace—on the other side, I thought we were done for,” says the vice-captain, smiling at him.

Kei shrugs noncommittally; it wasn’t as if he did something special.

“Yeah, wouldn’t want to lose in front of the kohai, huh?” the captain comes up and claps his vice on the back. They both laugh.

Kei reminds himself not to let their praise get to his head.

His eyes search for Yamaguchi-kun across the net.

* * *

 


	120. Good game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg 25 bookmarks, i had never thought!!!  
> THANK YOU hikuushi FOR THE LATEST ONE!!! *3*  
> also ppl, leave great comments on the bookmarks, i love reading them so much omg they make my day!! :)

 

* * *

Tadashi steps carefully, not trusting his feet to carry him when he is this excited. “Tsu—” he starts, but changes to “Tsukishima-kun,” because he had seen Tsukki blush at the nickname before.

Tsukki whips around and raises his eyebrows.

“Good game!” Tadashi has to practice severe self-control to not to shout; he’s feeling so _overwhelmed_. “You played very well!” Tadashi holds out his hand.

Tsukki takes it, after a moment of hesitation.

Almost all hell breaks lose then. Other players crowd around them and form a people-pile that comes crashing to the floor. Tadashi thinks he has never been happier. 

* * *

 


	121. Ahoge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg i love yamaguchi's ahoge!! <3

* * *

Kei coughs. “That was unnecessary.” He says in a low voice.

“What was?” Yamaguchi-kun asks, still busy searching for his clothes in the locker. Kei thinks that his head might be stuck in it.

“That speech and stuff, you know,” Kei is sure his cheeks are red by now, but he tries to quell his embarrassment.

Yamaguchi-kun finishes his search, pokes his head back out, and smiles. A bit of his hair sticks up at an odd angle. “So, Tsukki you’ll be joining, right?”

Kei hardens his heart, “No, I won’t be joining.” He can practically see Yamaguchi-kun’s hair wilt.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turned a bit sad in the end, sorry about that :(


	122. Right time

* * *

Tadashi wants to ask _why?_ again; _why not? why hold back when you’re so good?_

But he doesn’t. He doesn’t, because Tsukki has always skirted around this topic, has always been taciturn about this. He doesn’t, because he has, already, many times before, and not got a proper response.

Tadashi nods slowly. “Okay,” he says, bending down to pick up his bag. “I’ll be going ahead.” He turns without waiting for an answer, rushes along the corridor and out into the open air before he can hear anything.   

He figures Tsukki will tell him when he feels it is right.

* * *

 


	123. Belief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now Tsukki's version

* * *

There is a flash of emotion on Yamaguchi-kun’s face. Kei is not sure how to place it—it falls somewhere between hurt and inquiry.

“Okay, I’ll be going ahead.”

“Sure,” Kei says, though he isn’t sure it’s heard by him.

The thing is, Kei has lost all confidence. He has lost faith in the fact that he could ever be good enough to be a regular on a team. The only people selected will be ones with overwhelming talent or an immense desire to play—none of which Kei has.

He has a strong feeling that history will repeat itself.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~omg tsukki who hurt you?~~
> 
>  
> 
> you see what's happening? when tsukki has the time and resources at his expense, he does not have belief. karasuno will reinforce his belief, but that's in the future,,,, 
> 
> also: idk what to do now


	124. Chapter 124

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sub-sufficient chapter, brought to you by the likes of those who do not deserve to say anything  
> ahhh, its exam hell, im so at my creative _low_ idek how to write anymore :(

* * *

The next day is too _plain_ ; the monotony of it all is getting to Kei. By the time lunch rolls around, Kei is tired of the mental strain.

Also, Yamaguchi-kun is super shifty.

“You want something?” Kei asks him, waving a hand in front of his face.

“Huh? No!”

Kei narrows his eyes, “What’s up?”

“I, uh, forgot my science homework at home…”

“We don’t have science today.” He replies promptly.

Yamaguchi-kun looks surprised. Kei rolls his eyes, “Don’t forget the movie this Sunday, okay?” he says when the bell rings and he gets up.

Yamaguchi-kun’s face registers more surprise.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t forget the movie (date) this Sunday, okay?”


	125. Essay

* * *

Sunday comes in a flash and Tadashi is staring at his empty notebook in the morning. He wants to finish his homework before going to the movie.

Tadashi scratches his head, at his wit’s end. A paragraph about the _‘ideal government’_? What should he write?

“Mom, what type of government do you think is ideal?” he asks his mother, who is folding the washed clothes.

She smiles and says, “A democracy like ours is the best, where people are free to do what they want in harmony with their surroundings, work together as a nation and free to love, ne?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, the end just took an off-topic turn


	126. Dress

* * *

Kei stares at his own reflection disdainfully. Checkered shirt and brown pants. _Generic_.  

He opens his closet to search for something else. Tan pants, nah. Tacky. Sleeveless vest, _no_. Too casual. 

His dinosaur hood jacket felt to his feet in the search. Kei’s cheeks reddened. _Never_. Just because they were going to watch Jurassic World didn’t mean he’d wear _that_. He only wears that while watching movies on the home theatre.

Akiteru knocks on the door and enters. “Going somewhere, bro?” he ruffles Kei’s hair that took about ten minutes to set.

Kei jerks his head back, “To the movie.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~“Going somewhere, bro?”~~   
>  ~~"Date."~~


	127. Chapter 127

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've always had this feeling that aki will be the doting brother who takes realllllly good care of lil tsukks to the point of accompanying him to wherever and making friends with his friends etc etc idk i just wanna kiss aki rn =3=

* * *

His brother beams, “That’s great! Want me to drive you there?”

Kei inwardly huffs; he doesn’t want to be treated like a child anymore. “No, I’ll take the train. Besides, I have to pick my friend too.”

Akiteru’s eyebrows go high. “Who? I wanna meet them too, _please_?”

Kei doesn’t know why, but his brother had always had this weird tendency to get overly friendly with everyone. What he is about to say is on the tip of his tongue, when Akiteru says, “Isn’t it fine? Making lots of friends, that is. I’m happy you’re getting along with your classmates.”

* * *

 


	128. Car

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had an exam today so sorry for the late update hehe

* * *

They end up bundling in Akiteru’s car after he ~~nags~~ pleads with Kei some more.

As much as Kei had insisted to go by the train, he had to admit that a car was faster. There was no waiting, and well, Yamaguchi-kun’s house was quite close.

Kei calls his friend as they near his home.

“I’m waiting outside, Tsukki,” he says.

Sure enough, they see him standing outside the gate. He waves.

“Hello, Yamaguchi-kun!” his brother greets as he gets inside the car.

“Hello, nii-san.” Yamaguchi-kun greets back.

Kei is a little glad that they have the air conditioner on. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: i typed yamachu by mistake while typing this chap  
> chu chu yams cutie <3


	129. That one thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> get the volley joke hm-hmm?? *raises eyebrows*  
> i'm too cool for my own good

* * *

The trip to the mall is short, and Kei isn’t blaming Miyagi for its short distances, mostly because of a _volley_ of embarrassing questions starts immediately.

“Do you know Kei from a club?”

“Eh, no, we met when Tsukishima-kun saved me from some bullies.”

Kei hates how Yamaguchi-kun is too honest. Couldn’t he be more tactful? That was _the one thing_ that was too uncool to say. “It was no big deal.”

His brother looks at him sideways and smiles. Kei cannot anticipate what he will say at home. He is also happy that Yamaguchi-kun doesn’t know about his brother.

* * *

 


	130. Chapter 130

* * *

“Ok, bye.” Kei states as soon as they step out of the car, and would have tugged Yamaguchi-kun’s arm in a moment if his brother hadn’t said this next: “Eh, I’m not going right now, I have to buy things.”

Kei cannot think of anything he could buy at the mall that entails bringing a _list_ , which he can clearly see in the brother’s hand. Then he remembers that big basement departmental store.

 _Promise you won’t come after us_ , Kei sends him a look and hopes they are clear. His brother purses his lips and waves, “Bye.”

“Let’s go, Yamaguchi-kun.”

* * *

 


	131. Popcorn

* * *

Tadashi cannot bring himself to think of it as just-a-normal-exchange-between-brothers. There are secret undertones and Tadashi isn’t always the brightest bulb in the box but he can gather that Tsukki’s brother’s presence is what is making things awkward here. Which is too much like the clammed-up way Tsukki got when they last talked about volleyball. This could only mean that...

“Tsukki, did Akiteru-nii-chan play volleyball?”

Tsukki stiffens, and there goes the sort-of calm they had going on. Tadashi should have known better.

“He still does, sometimes.” His words and careful, measured.

“That’s great, isn’t it? Let’s buy popcorn okay? Caramel?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yams prolly got tired of it in the end


	132. Chapter 132

* * *

Kei slumps into his seat with relief. _At last_ , familiar territory.  He is tired from the day’s goings-on, and watching this movie again seems like the _perfect_ idea to de-stress.

Though he is somewhat surprised that Yamaguchi-kun isn’t asking him any names of dinosaurs.

“You know which one this is?” he whispers to him.

“Mhm, T-rex, if I’m not wrong? I studied the pamphlet before.”

Is Kei a little befuddled? He doesn’t know.

He shrugs and settles his arm on the right armrest—the one between him and Yamaguchi-kun. A few moments later, Yamaguchi-kun also rests his elbow near Kei’s.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> browser history:  
> the dino directory  
> wiki/Jurassic_world  
> XP
> 
> to those anticipating tsukkiyama fluff: here it comes


	133. Chapter 133

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaa sorry i'm so late, i was busy resting and on tumblr

 

* * *

Oh, _crap_.

The realization is late, but when it hits, Tadashi goes very white in the face and is teetering between nervous and giddy-with-expectation. While he is analyzing the situation, Tsukki moves his arm a bit more close, bringing them together.

Tsukki’s elbow is far more warmer than elbows have the right to be. Tadashi can feel the temperature from Tsukki’s shirt sleeve on his bare arm.

“Uhm, Tsukki your a—” he starts.

The middle-aged woman sitting to his left moves suddenly, causes a flurry of movement and sends Tadashi crashing into Tsukki’s shoulder. “Ah, sorry, Tsukki!”

“It’s nothing, Yamaguchi.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the -kun goes, finally


	134. Swear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you I_am_pure_trash_you_know for reading and bookmarking this work!! :*

* * *

_Shit, shit, shit_

Kei has been taught by his parents to not to swear, but this situation was dangerous. Out-of-the-world-ly type of dangerous.

“Ah, sorry, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi-kun apologizes. His cheek—which is pressed against Kei’s shoulder—is warmer than cheeks have the right to be. Kei wonders if he might have a fever.

He also can’t decipher why _he_ is _tongue-tied for a solid moment?_

“It’s nothing, Yamaguchi.” He says after thinking, trying to maintain his composure.

They separate and the time seems to pass very swiftly after that. Kei is honestly glad that he has seen the movie before. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyone notice the symbolism/similarity/allusion in 133/134 chapters? ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
> 
> also to tsukki: warm cheeks don't necessarily mean a fever ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)


	135. Chapter 135

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo, it's tsukki's birthday today so i thought i might update ^-^ (i've been such a shitty updater, why don't you throw the tomatoes and eggs already?)  
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE TSUKKI YOU DORK, YOU DESERVE ALL THE HAPPINESS IN THIS WORLD MAY YOU STAY TALL AND SASSY AND GROW TO LOVE YAMS EVEN MORE =3=
> 
> alsoooo, we're almost at 4000 hits and +200 guest kudos already and this makes me so happy!!! thank you for all the love, everyone!!! ~~also 233+277=510 means hehehe 500+ good things huehuehue~~
> 
> tbqh, when i had started it, i had planned tsukki's b'day as the kinda ending point for this story. now that this day has arrived in real time, and this work has taken all sorts of turns, i think it won't play out the way i had planned (making tsukki suffer a bit by his family not being there [awww no] and then yams coming there with a single strawberry shortcake to cheer him up) but we will start the birthday arc this chapter. let's see how things go ;)

* * *

“Wanna eat something?” Kei asks; it’s only polite to do so: they’d gone in without popcorn, and he still feels guilty about the drama earlier.

Yamaguchi-kun’s stomach rumbles and he says “Wacdonalds?” under his breath, embarrassedly. Kei wants to laugh but holds it in. “Let’s go.”

“Isn’t your birthday soon, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi-kun asks on their way to the fast-food joint. Kei stands below his step on the escalator—only because he doesn’t want to run into any more middle-aged women today, not because it brought them face-to-face, _not at all_ —and says, “Yes, in three days.”

“D’you want anything special?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inuyasha reference anyone?
> 
> the only reason the text has an accent sometimes is because i figured that since they live in the Miyagi prefecture, they might have an accent in speaking. the voice actors are all from Tokyo and have no accent so my theory may be a little flawed but i kinda liked the idea, and it's been running the same way since chapter 1 so..


	136. Cake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you Erliane for bookmarking the work =3= (bookmarks are so rare these days, honestly)

* * *

Kei thinks for a while, “Nothing at the moment.”

“You like strawberry cake, right? Want to go and eat that?”

Kei quirks his eyebrow; he sort of _doesn't_ like where this is headed. They are making plans for the next outing _before_ the current one finishes.

“Or would you like a surprise?” Yamaguchi-kun asks, without waiting for an answer.

“Uhm… cake would be nice.” Kei says, albeit a little shy.  

“Cake it is, then.”

 _It would be good if mom does not have any big plans for the day_ , Kei thinks but does not say.

They go home by car.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> notice how tsukki doesn't ask yams what /his/ favourite flavour is. it's just how he is, but i sometimes wish that tsukki was bit empathetic. just saying tho
> 
> and omg so i googled places to eat cake in miyagi and the first one that pops up is: Sugawarayougashi. sugaaaaaaaaaaa omg what a sweet name for a sweet place!!! i would totally go here


	137. Chapter 137

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok you people have been so supportive but pls forgive me, i have been feeling so insecure that i just wasted my time, not updating (like the shitty person i am orz) and i've had real doubts about the quality of content i'm posting these days... if you've read this, some feedback would the appreciated
> 
> thank you Anaisfromanotherplanet and wellrounded_square for the bookmarks; they mean so much to me you don't even know :) everyday i looked at the 29 mark and i was like 'yea right you horrible person you're just betraying their trust'  
> i'm so sorry

* * *

At dinner that day, Kei is picking at his food. He really hates tomatoes. He rests his chopsticks to the side and sighs deeply.

“Why the sad expression, son?” his father asks.   

“Nothing much…” Kei says. He picks up his chopsticks and starts on the stuffed capsicum instead, wishing he could make the bad taste go somehow.

His father is rather dissatisfied with the answer, so he adds: “Oh yeah, have you packed your suitcase?”

The capsicums drop back to his plate. Kei coughs before choking and saying, “Suitcase?”

His mother waves a hand, “Did I forget to tell you?”

* * *

 


	138. Chapter 138

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so i read the encouraging comments sitting in my inbox from the last week and i must say i'm!! too!! happy!!! so here's another chapter aaaaaa i love you guys <3

* * *

“We’re going to your uncle’s wedding. I packed this afternoon.” She smiles afterwards, but the _problem_ isn’t whether they have their bags packed or not.

“By when will we be back?” he asks, trying to keep his voice as monotonic as possible.

“By the day after. If grandma doesn’t insist on us staying for the after-party and all, that is.”

A laugh goes around the table and Kei can’t help but feel annoyed.

“It’ll be fine, we’ll be back by twenty-seventh, right?” asks Akiteru.

She nods “Do you want a party?”

“No,” Kei says quickly, “I’m going out with friends.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't we all hate when this happens... *sighs* weddings are the most hated event, right on top of my list of 'to avoid' list


	139. Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you Heiwa for bookmarking *3*

* * *

The next day, they’re to set off as soon as possible—which is unfortunately when Kei’s machine hasn’t started to function efficiently—at five a.m. He wakes up groggy and sees no sun in the sky; mornings come late as the year progresses to its finish.

“Do we really have to?” he asks, still half-asleep. She looks at him incredulously and shoves him into the bathroom. Kei brushes his teeth and showers on auto-pilot. When he gets out, his mother is phoning the school about his absence.

“Kei, come fast! Else we’ll miss the train! Have you taken everything?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so i made a mistake last chapter...   
> you people are SO supportive i literally cannot HANDLE this!!!! aaaaaaaa thank you so much, all!! i opened my inbox yesterday morning before going to school and i saw 5 comments??? like what??? thank you very very much???   
> and as i sat gawking, i missed my bus   
> lol


	140. Cute

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok ok i must thank annsri for how great they are. thank you for the bookmarks, comments and kudo!!!! *3* omg thank you so much aaaaaaa
> 
> i love when readers comment on old chapters because it gives me an opportunity to re-read the story with you (and fix some errors orz) 
> 
> anyway, i'm really in love with y'all ok just read this

* * *

It turns out he _hasn’t_ actually remembered to take everything.

“It’s alright, Kei, you’re not going to read there.” His mother consoles, but it isn’t working, because Kei still looks his own brand of unimpressed—sixty eight parts annoyed and thirty two parts cute.

“Besides, you look cute!” Akiteru often says what he thinks, but it only seldom turns out good. Kei scowls in his direction.

“I’m _not cute_. Nii-chan has got to stop calling me that.”

Their parents laugh at the banter and his mother pretends to be angry, only to burst into giggles a moment later.

Kei fumes.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first chapter in aki's pov !! !!!! ! (ง︡'-'︠)ง


	141. Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you cathy_gonzalo for the bookmark <3
> 
>  
> 
> perhaps tsukki and i can talk about how much human interaction _sucks_

* * *

It feels so _weird_ without his glasses. Far-off things appear a bit hazy and it irritates him in a way he isn’t used to. His brothers and sisters are exhausting. Being around relatives was exhausting. Kei feels tired without having done anything but talk.

“So how is school?” one of his older brother asks.

“Good.” Again, Kei couldn’t find it in himself to give two more hoots. He could give even less a damn about the to-be-couple. He snaps a picture and sends it to Yamaguchi.

_> >bored. Wish I were there._

It’s only after he sends it that he realizes.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hoots ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)


	142. Did he just?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG 299 KUDOS WOW
> 
> THANK

* * *

Tadashi is halfway through his lunch when his phone chirps from his jeans. He rests the melon bread down and wiggles to get it out.

It’s a picture of Tsukki. He’s not wearing glasses and frowning hard at the camera.

Tadashi allows a smile because Tsukki isn’t here to look; he would have been annoyed and muttered “What?” were he here. Tadashi likes to think Tsukki doesn’t know—he probably does, but he likes to think he doesn’t—that red sets itself high on his cheeks when he does that.

The next message surprises him.

_> >bored. Wish I were there._

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cue cute babies thinking about each other and blushing into their pillows*
> 
> G OO D B YE


	143. Predicament

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for being so supportive omg i love you all :*

* * *

Kei wants to plant his face into the nearest surface and never get up. He eyes fall on his grandmother’s coffee table, which has some insane-looking fake metallic spiky thing protruding out of it. Kei stares then frowns and finally gives up. Just going near that sounds plain painful.

He gives up on trying to hide his embarrassment; tries to face it, even. He puts his palms on his closed eyes. As his fingers slide down his face, Kei realizes that he’s in an odd predicament—his brain is eighteen-foot deep in Antarctica and his cheeks feel like the Sahara.

* * *

 


	144. Button

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do we remember flip phones? do we remember typing with keys? do we remember non-touch 1 inch screens? DO WE?
> 
> i do. these things were a part of my childhood and i can't seem to let them go

* * *

Tadashi is at a loss of words for several seconds. He hears the bell ring, but doesn’t put his phone down. He wants to reply before the teacher gets here.

The keys of his flip-phone are clickety and he has to press the abc button thrice to get to the c, but Tadashi types ‘ _nice!_ ’ before backspacing in favor of not sounding too textbook. He enters ‘ _nice picture_ ’ and the cursor blinks, as if urging his add on to the message. He types ‘ _me too_ ’ and the send button is pressed only because it is directly under the delete button.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for dragging this out orz
> 
> i promise i'll post 3 chapters tomorrow


	145. Picture

* * *

Kei’s eyes widen as two new messages pop up in succession:

 

_> >nice picture! _

_> >me too!!_

 

Is that for his comment? Or is that because he was going to send a picture as well? Kei is far too stunned to put his phone down now so he stares at it was his mouth open and cheeks red.

“Kei, are you feeling alright?” his mother asks. “Do you have a fever?”

Kei shakes his head no.

“Why don’t you join your brothers and sisters?” she asks then, arms akimbo and the way she says it, Kei knows there is no room for argument.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those who can't make out the correct order because of so many inconsistencies, i'm sorry!! m(__)m here it is:
> 
> _______________
> 
>  
> 
> >>bored. Wish I were there.
> 
> Nice picture!<<
> 
> Me too!!<<
> 
> _______________  
> (ps: i managed to find a pic that matches!!! waiiii!!!)


	146. English class

* * *

Till now, Tadashi barely kept himself awake during English. Today is going to be _so_ different. Not that he is going to get a lot of English into his brain anyway.

 _That message was to be deleted!_ The sentence keeps playing into his head nonstop. A few minutes later, a new one takes over: _Tsukki is going to misunderstand._ The third one will also be his end: _He won’t be my friend anymore!_

He slumps forward into his seat and when the teacher comes to check on him, murmurs “Friends…” and slumps back.

“Well, atleast you know today’s lesson.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they're doing the pronunciation of the word "friends"  
> also, yams murmurs in english, ofc, for this to make sense ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
>  
> 
> ~~i'm having too much fun~~


	147. Laughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk but i'm getting the feeling that i'm making tsukki too much of a tsun... perhaps i should work on the aloof demeanor a bit more...

* * *

“So, anything happen?” Kei asks the next day during lunch. He picks one octopus sausage with his chopsticks and it wobbles precariously till it falls down and he has to pick it up again.

“I fainted in English class.” Yamaguchi-kun says, as if that summarizes all the school events Kei missed. Well, technically it _does_ , because Kei is beside himself with laughter.

“Almost,” Yamaguchi-kun clarifies, but that does nothing to curb Kei’s amusement.

“You, _what_ —”

“Well, not really,” his friend now says, indignant all of a sudden, “I just collapsed on my desk.”

Kei doesn’t think he’ll stop laughing soon.

* * *

 


	148. Chapter 148

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slowly creeps back* ehhh, where were we?

* * *

Kei is about to leave for cram school when a message pops up.

>>Tsukki will you be awake at midnight?

It’s twenty-sixth and Kei knows that Yamaguchi-kun wants to wish him first, but,

>>It won’t be a surprise if I already know it, you know

>>Sorry, Tsukki  ლ(｡-﹏-｡ლ) I just thought I’d ask

>>I will, just by the way.

Kei snaps his phone shut and moves out of the house, beginning his long walk to class. The corners of his mouth turned into a smile: this might not be as bad as he made it out to be.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> texting with proper punctuation ೭੧(❛▿❛✿)੭೨ gotta love nerds
> 
> ~~okay but does anyone remember that the story started like this, with tsukki going to cram school and finding yamaguchi~~


	149. Run

 

* * *

The day is exceptionally cold for the month, and Tadashi tries to walk as fast as he can with the resisting crowd. He glances at the clock on the street corner and avoids an oncoming walker walking his dog— _he is five minutes late!_

At last, he reaches the café and rests his hands on his knees on catch his breath. When he looks up, Tsukki is already there, leaning against the wall, headphones around his neck.

“Hi there, Tsukki!” he calls out and runs towards him, breath puffing out in small condensation clouds.

“It’s cold.” Tsukki says, “Let’s go.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can YOU picture yams running and huffing and puffing and tsukki standing cool-ly against the cafe's glass display all with new headphones and yams spotting him through the crowd through people walking by because I CAN and it's so vivid in my mind right now and its RIDICULOUS(ly sweet)


	150. Present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok omg i'm SO _**SO**_ sorry that i disappeared on you, just, family life crashed in on me and i had to travel to another city for a family function and it was hell. we did have wi-fi there, but no let me use their laptops to type!!!! i felt so guilty because i HAD this one plannED!!! FFF***^$%#$@$ arrrg  
>  just  
> i'm so sorry
> 
> in other news: 150woot

* * *

“New headphones, Tsukki?” Tadashi asks and he nods, his thumb fiddling with their cord at the pockets. “From my brother…”

_“Coooool!”_

“Not _really…_ ” Tsukki says, but rosy colour is already settling high on his cheeks. Tadashi morphs a giggle into a cough.

They step inside and find a good place in the warm, homely café. Tadashi almost forgets the paper bag in his hand till Tsukki nods towards it.

“Oh, yeah, happy birthday Tsukki!”

“You already said twice, you know, at night and at school,” he points out, but Tadashi smiles nonetheless. 

“It’s different when saying it like this, Tsukki!”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> at night, oho tsukki? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
>  ~~it was weird typing this because they're just cinnamon rolls rn, not sinnamon rolls jfc~~  
>  ~~and i had to fudging CODE the whole chapter jfffc~~


	151. Chapter 151

* * *

“Shouldn’t you stop saying ‘Tsukki’ now?” Kei asks, half because he’s _twelve_ now and half because the nickname was—unsettling. He pulls the white ribbon on the box while immersed in thought.

‘Don’t you like it, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi-kun says without thinking because he just used it again and Kei stares at him from over his frames.

“Oops, I mean, Tsukishima-kun?”

Kei sighs and stops unwrapping the gift.

“We’re friends, right?” Yamaguchi-kun asks, “Is it weird that I call you that? It makes us feel like friends, right?”

 _It makes me feel like we’re friends longer than we’ve been_, Kei thinks.

* * *

 


	152. Chapter 152

* * *

The setting feels like a movie. Tadashi waits for Tsukki—he’ll not stop calling him that in his mind _no matter_ what he says—to touch his milk coffee first.

Tsukki takes a sip and steam settles on the glass of his spectacles. The last sunrays of the day enter the shop through the window and make him look like the child-actor whose movie Tadashi recently watched on TV.

See? Almost like a movie. Tadashi can feel a palpable tension in his fingers as he holds his own plastic cup to warm his hands. He decides to forgo the straw.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vague much?  
> i'll fix it in a moment


	153. Chapter 153

* * *

“Do you want to me to say it or not?” Tadashi can’t help but feel that he’s being clingy about the slightest of the things, but he cannot also _not_ ask.

Tsukki crosses his arms and leans back in his seat, then leans forward and matches the tips of his fingers, as if in deep thought.

“Tsukki, you aren’t just making fun of me, are you?”

He tries to hide his face in the triangle of his fingers, but there’s no missing the small chuckle that escapes him.

_“Tsukki!”_

“I’m _sorry_!”

_“Unbelievable!”_

Tadashi finds it hard not to join in.

* * *

 


	154. Chapter 154

* * *

“It’s too hard not to tease you!” Kei manages between laughs and Yamaguchi-kun’s pretend-serious expression just makes him laugh more and the people around them are staring and they should probably stop.

 _Sure_ , ‘Tsukki’ makes it look like they’ve been friends longer than they actually have.

“But if you don’t say it in front of the others, it’s okay…” he says.

“Calling you by any other name in front of others,” Yamaguchi-kun says, fingers drumming on the table-top, eyes distinctly down, “Makes it feel like we are in a… secret relationship or something…”

Now it’s Kei’s turn to go red. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm making them flirt too much in the restaurant
> 
> orz sorry for the sudden feels


	155. Fast

* * *

“What’re you talking about?” Kei can feel an excitement similar to that time in the cinema bubble up in his chest. He hasn’t felt this… _odd_ since sending that accidental picture to Yamaguchi-kun from his phone.

“Let’s eat quickly?” It almost sounds like a question but somehow both go along with it. “It’s getting late.”

“How’s the cake, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi-kun asks and he raises up a thumb in appreciation. Both eat quickly and without much talk. When Kei pays the tab, his smile is forced and Yamaguchi-kun is blinking very fast.

“Meet you at school tomorrow?” Kei says hastily.

“Yeah.” 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is so bad
> 
> forgive me
> 
> i will delete it


	156. A complete collection

* * *

Kei is so wrong in assuming that the next day comes with awkwardness (as it did, _surprisingly so_ after every interaction with Yamaguchi-kun) That’s because Yamaguchi-kun doesn’t have time; he rushes into the class with some other students and suddenly there’s noise everywhere.  

“—we’ve got a new transfer student and Naka-sen is not present today and I’ve got to feed the rabbit and then there’s the school festival and—”

“ _Yamaguchi_ , hold on,”

“—did you like my present?”

“I—yes,” Kei replies, because he _did_ and the limited-edition fighter triceratops figure might be the only thing missing from his dinosaur collection.

* * *

 


	157. Chapter 157

* * *

Come October and the school finds itself busy various events like the school festival, the annual excursion and the field trip. Kei can only sigh; it’s like they study less and make more merry of whatever time could go other _useful_ activities. Besides, Kei hated all the ‘get along’ trips anyway.

“There’s no need for it.” He says to the class in-charge, who is distributing consent forms to them. “I’m not going to go.”

The boy smiles, “But I must give it to you, it’s sensei’s instructions.”

For the next week, the unsigned form burns a hole through Kei’s schoolbag.

* * *

 


	158. Fresh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so i watched hqs2 ep 5 and the fight left me unable to do anything.......................

* * *

Tadashi takes his steps carefully, slowly, slowly, with the tips of his toes touching the ground before the soles of his indoor shoes. He turns the corner and then walks with the constant _tap-tap-tap_ noise of quickly moving feet; heel coming down before the toes.

There is something about the fresh air of the month that feels _right_ , as if good things were in store; cool breeze washing in through half-opened windows and hallways. Tadashi takes a deep breath.

“Yamaguchi-kun?”

Tadashi’s _most- loudest-scream-he-has-ever-made_ gets caught in his throat and he holds the wall for support. “A-aiha-san? You surprised me!”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and i'm so sorry of this looks like this is headed nowhere, i promise it leads to somewhere, pls wait omg my life is hellish rn :-(


	159. Chapter 159

* * *

“Of course I’d surprise you!” Aiha-san smiles. Tadashi always thought smiles looked pretty on her face.

“Say, Yamaguchi-kun… aren’t you friends with… uh, Tsukishima-kun?”

“Yes I am,” Tadashi replies, confused as to why she would ask him that.

“Do you know where he is right now?”

Tadashi shakes his head, “No, I do not, perhaps in class? We aren’t having lunch together today—”

“T-then,” Aiha-san seems shy as she pulls out a letter from her hands that were behind her till now, blush on her cheeks, “Can you give this to him for me? The next time you see him?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why do i mortally wound myself? whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy


	160. Pink

* * *

"Ah."

"Of course." Tadashi tries to smile. "I'll give it to him." He is definitely smiling now.  

Aiha-san smiles too and smoothens her skirt, her nails shining oddly bright against its pale pink colour. "Eh, you are so nice, Yamaguchi-kun." She waves to him and says, "Thank you" before slipping back into her class. 

Tadashi stares after her and then at the letter, various pink flowers printed across it. 

He feels almost nothing akin to the jealousy he had thought he would feel were he to see someone else getting confessed to—just a bit puzzled and...  _unsettled and_ _sad._

* * *

 


	161. Chapter 161

* * *

“Tsukki, are you going to Kanagawa?”

They’re back to the terrace again today, and the cool autumn wind ruffles their hair. Tadashi likes the freshness it brings along with it; it makes him believe his worries are non-existent.

“…no.” Tsukki says. He is busy eating lunch while Tadashi looks out to the open ground and clutches the cold handrail.

“Why?” he asks. “Why is it, Tsukki,” he tilts his head to the side, eyes shut to the breeze, “That your standard response to anything is ‘no’?”  

“ _Huh_?”

 _Oh, he’s annoyed_ , Tadashi thinks with some amount of regret, then turns around.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you can tell where this is headed, you are smart
> 
> take a guess in the comments, i want to see what you think


	162. The five things

* * *

“With the trip,” he says, uncharacteristically calm, “With the nickname, with the pool,” Tadashi turns out fully and holds up three fingers, then releases the fourth, “And with the _volleyball club_ ,”

Tsukki stops eating and looks up now, slowly places with lunchbox on the floor and stands up to his full height.

It’s fake calm, Tadashi now realizes, and as Tsukki steps closer, he’s intimidated. “So what?” he says, “What, I can’t even say no to the things I don’t want to do?”

Tadashi is getting cornered to the handrail, when he pulls the letter out, “T-then, what about this?”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *in the middle of the chapter* this is not a fight, is it
> 
> *at the end of the chapter* thIS IS NOT A FIGHT I S I T
> 
> (okay sorry mild hiatus, i'll be going to a trip tomorrow so bye for three days, burn in the eternal flame of the cliffhanger muahahahahah)
> 
> (i'm so evil sorry)


	163. Chapter 163

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omfg i'm sorry for so many misunderstandings in the last chapter; nearly everybody got something wrong, i'm such a shitty person orz
> 
> and also thank you for the great response on these past chapters, this warms my heart so much, you don't even know, i got up early at the camp for two days to check on the comments and you guys!!! just. _thank_

* * *

Kei’s eyes narrow. “What’s that?” He snatches the paper out of Yamaguchi’s hands and glares at it.

 _To Tsukishima Kei-kun_ , it reads, and Kei knows all too well what it is immediately. The garish writing and his unwanted experience tells him enough.

“Who gave this to you?” he asks, his voice low enough to sound angry. Yamaguchi-kun is looking down, avoiding his gaze, but Kei can’t do _anything_ about it, perhaps because it wasn’t even his fault. It was probably forced onto him.

Kei rips the letter into two pieces and floats them to the wind.  

“Wait, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi-kun shouts.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukki don't scatter your trash  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	164. Chapter 164

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is it true that people who have everything do not know what they have?

* * *

“ _How can you_?” Tadashi shouts, hands on the rail, eyes filling with tears. “She confessed her _feelings_!”

“They all say the same thing; they all want the same thing; to go out with a cool guy to look cool.” Tsukki pockets his hands as if nothing big was going on, as if he hadn’t just made light of somebody else’s emotions. “I am not going to be an object to be flaunted.”

Tadashi backs down, and swallows his tears, “W-what if she really loved you?”

“Don’t you think we’re too young for love? Besides, I’ve never talked to her before.”  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so i mused long and hard about this over dinner and then i was like meh, i have time, so this is for all the cuties who waited!! ヽ(〃･ω･)ﾉ love you
> 
> (i really wanted to make it into yams yelling into tsukki's face (like he'll be doing this ep 7 *closes eyes to block out shitstorm of tsukkiyama feels*) but then this will diverge form canon in a way i don't want it to)


	165. Beginnings and endings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i had to read some past chappies for this and i! was! so! lame! in the notes!!! makes me wanna delete them
> 
>  
> 
> this aside, i'M SO HAPPY THAT TWO OF MY GOOD FRIENDS, ActingJester and gianthorseshoe, HAVE JOINED AO3 (BECAUSE OF THIS FIC, RIGHT??? PLS SAY YES OMG) 
> 
> THANK YOU FOR BOOKMARKS AND KUDOS AND EVERYTHING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH

* * *

“So what?” Tadashi returns back, “You never talk to people when you first meet them.”

“Yeah, you don’t also confess your undying love to them.” Tsukki counters. His height is an advantage right now, because he stares down at Tadashi from across the distance between them and it’s daunting.  

Tsukki crosses his arms across his chest and Tadashi sniffles. Tsukki shifts a hand to search for his handkerchief.

It’s reminiscent of the time they weren’t friends, were in the process of being, and Tadashi had read in a book a certain thing about beginnings and endings.

“I don’t need it.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohoho yams? been reading a few too many romance novels??


	166. wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the response on the last chapter aaaaaaaaaaa

* * *

“What?” asks Kei.

“I don’t need it.” Yamaguchi-kun repeats. “I have my own.” He fishes out a tissue from his pocket and wipes his eyes and sniffles.

“Take it anyway,” says Kei and tries to hand it to him and Yamaguchi-kun jerks his hand aside.

“I told you, Tsukki, I don’t need it.” He looks up to Kei, then looks sideways and back down, “You can do whatever you want to. It’s your wish.”  

And Kei can’t help but feel that the last sentence wasn’t in reference to the tissue and that he _really_ has let something go horribly wrong.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to write another chapter but then my mom came and told me to study so i'll update 3 tomorrow uwu
> 
> Tsukki you let a lot go wrong bae


	167. Chapter 167

* * *

The wall of the cistern is cool against his back and Tadashi leans his head onto it. He wished he could let everything fall back as easily as his hair flops over to the grey surface of the wall. He touches its ends, “It’s longer now.” He observes.

Tadashi had walked out. It’s what he always did in a stressful situation; he didn’t always have the courage to face it or go against it. Tsukki’s situation shouldn’t cause him as much stress as it _is_ , but it _did_. And it was hopeless.

Tadashi sinks his head back into his hands.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> awww my poor baby, i'm so sorry :'( come to nee-chan *holds out hands and bears hugs my baby*
> 
> please don't take too much stress


	168. useless

* * *

Kei is heaving by the end of it.

_It’s your wish._

The words keep echoing and coming back to him. _He said it_. He said that _himself_. It was his wish, wasn’t it?

_I can’t even say no to the things I don’t want to do?”_

Kei shuts his eyes and shakes his head. It is useless think about this right now.

* * *

“ _Yamaguchi!_ ” he calls out. “Are you there?”

Thirty people stare back at him, mouths agape, but Kei cannot find Yamaguchi among them.

“He’s not here.” A girl explains, _very helpful._

“Thanks.” Kei exits the class from the door.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tsukki you needn't be the pinnacle of human interaction to see that you hurt a friend uwu 
> 
> but that's ok, nee-chan will try to fix things
> 
>  
> 
> ~~(also is this too dramatic. yes, yes it is)~~


	169. search

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanKYUU u_w_u, Betzabel and Exotic for bookmarking!!!!
> 
> (notice the pun? i'm so clever, aren't i?)

* * *

“ _Where_ is he?” Kei grinds out from between his teeth, breath coming in pants. He rests his hands on his knees and takes a deep breath, then resumes running to the end of the field and yells his name.

No one.

The break is about to end and Kei glances at his watch: half past twelve, there’s still ten minutes.

The school isn’t too big and the weather is quite cool and there is only slight sun in the sky even at this time of the day, but there's a sheen of sweat on his forehead when he finds Yamaguchi-kun. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so i want to conduct a small poll here. pls answer these questions if you will!! (#^.^#)  
> will you continue reading if the story becomes m/e-rated (as it is bound to, if they kiss and _stuff_ ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°))?  
>  what are your views about a timeskip?  
> should the writing style be more---- (fill in the blank here: is it too boring? too slow? too _fast_ [i hope that's not the case here because i can't make it even slower]? fill it accordingly)  
>  any other suggestions?


	170. Chapter 170

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i have LITERALLY SO MUCH TO THANK YOU ALL FOR  
> SO HERE WE HAVE  
> 170 CHAPTERS  
> +500 COMMENTS  
> +350 KUDOS  
> +35 BOOKMARKS AND  
> +5000 HITS  
> LIKE WOW  
> THANK YOU SO MUCH.  
> ;-; i actually teared up,, i never thought that i'd make it this far  
> AND ALSO IF YOU SORT HQ FICS BY COMMENTS LACK IS ON THE 16TH SPOT OR SO WWWWWWWWWWOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW OMFG I NEVER THOUGHT???? WOWOWOWWOWOW

* * *

_Achoo!_

Tadashi should have taken the handkerchief; for he has nothing to wipe his nose with now, the tissue was not sufficient for the chill of the day. He bats his nose and tells it to settle itself for the time being.  

The weather is odd today; the sun slides behind a cloud and Tadashi rubs his forearms to soothe his goose pimples. Even in the chill of the day, he feels drowsy. Not so much, actually, and he should move from where he is sitting, but he doesn’t _want_ to.

“Stupid, stupid Tsukki.” He says, in the general direction.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... i wrote this while eating floppy fries with the most spicy sauce. I'm yams and suga-san both? haha


	171. Chapter 171

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i'm so bad for not replying to comments but i barely have time to write the chapters so here goes, i'm concentrating on that rn and chapter dump because i've been a shitty updater

* * *

“—pid , stupid Tsukki.”

 _Found him._ “Yamaguchi-kun?”

Kei steps around to look behind the cistern and finds him crouched in the dark corner. Surprise is written all over his face. “Tsukki…”

“Isn’t it cold there?” Kei asks and lends him a hand to get up. "Here," Yamaguchi-kun stands up and dusts his clothes.

Kei gets to the point before his friend can manage to get a word in: “I am sorry.”

Yamaguchi-kun’s eyes widen.

“I’m sorry for whatever I have done to offend you. I don’t know what it is, yet, but I am really sorry.”

“Then don’t be,” he says. 

* * *

 


	172. Chapter 172

* * *

“What?”

“Don’t be, if you don’t know what it is.” Tadashi says, tilting his face to the side. He knows he isn’t doing very well here; that he should just _accept it_ and get things over with, but he wants to face it now.

Tsukki lets out a deep breath and shifts his feet.

Tadashi’s shoulders slump and he brings his hands to his forearms, feeling cold. “Do you think it’s about the letter?” he asks finally.

“Yes,” Tsukki replies.

“It’s not.” Tadashi says, unable to meet Tsukki’s eyes, shifting them here and there. “It’s about denying yourself everything, always.”

* * *

 


	173. Chapter 173

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok this will seem a bit disconnected for a while but i swear it isn't. if you remember Sakurazawa Himeko from the beginning, it's her. and she's changed. idk... but i was reading the previous chapters and it seemed like all the female OCs i had introduced had such shitty, gold-digger personalities, so i want to fix that... that, and i'm actually very tired and somewhat bored of the main plot rn... i'll pick it up after i get some rest, get over with these tests maybe...

* * *

“Say~” Meika drawls, curling a strand of her hair and looking into her mirror, “Hasn’t it been too long that I went on a date?”

Himeko hates it. She has always hated Meika’s overbearing personality, the way she acts as if everything is about her. Himeko looks to her side and something catches her eye. But Meika comes over and grabs her hands, “Ne, Himeko-chan? Come with me on a double date, will you? Ask Taki-kun for me? _Please!_ ”  

 _“Ask him yourself.”_ Himeko wants to say, but puts on a sweet tone and says instead, “I am not really sure…”

* * *

 


	174. Chapter 174

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaa it's been so long that i've written about girls that it's almost refreshing!!

* * *

_Of course Taki won’t agree_ , Himeko thinks, _I’ll make sure he doesn’t._

Meika pulls a face, “Taki-kun’ll only come if you tell him to, Himeko.” She glances over her shoulder, “Well, if that doesn’t work out, Suzu-chan’s here.” She smiles at Suzue and Suzue shrugs. Suzue is more levelheaded than she looks and Himeko often wonders what prompted her to become friends with Meika.

And yeah right, Meika would _totally_ want them both to come with her on the double date so she could show off, _big time_. Himeko sits back while Meika raves about her new dress to Suzue.

* * *

 


	175. Chapter 175

* * *

She suddenly remembers what caught her eye before, and glances out of the window to look again.

If her eyes aren’t lying to her right now, there are _two people_ on the old school building terrace. Himeko squints to see better and opens her mouth to tell her friends about it, then decides against it. A thought flashes across her mind: _You speak too much._

Himeko’s features distort in hatred. That stupid Taki. Well, she’ll surely keep quiet this time, and not tell Meika _anything_. She picks up her phone to text him.

_> >isn’t the old school building cordoned off?_

* * *

 


	176. Chapter 176

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, clarifications: taki's family knows himeko's family's well. So they've pretty much grown up together (yes this the childhood friends trope right here) taki transferred into the school in the middle of the school year, so he wasn't around at the time when hime sent that note to tsukki (aaaaaaand i have actually been sorta shipping taki and himeko in my head?? What even)

* * *

Taki replies instantly

_> >it is_

then,

_> >why, you thinking of trespassing?_

Himeko blinks at the message and it takes a minute for her to read the complex characters for ‘trespassing’. It pisses her off that Taki knows kanji a level _higher_ than they are taught.

As if sensing what she is thinking, Taki sends her the correct reading.

_> >Bet you didn’t know that ;P_

Himeko’s cheeks redden in embarrassment.

 _> >I knew that, idiot!!!_ she types into her phone and snaps it shut, then looks back to the building.

“Eh, what’s that? Himeko-chan, are you looking at something fun?” Meika says.

* * *

 


	177. Chapter 177

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhm, ok  
> yesterday was hell and well  
> forgivemefortheangst

* * *

“ _What?_ ” Kei grinds out, “What do you even know?”

Yamaguchi-kun’s head snaps up and he looks at him with wide eyes. “Tsukki…”

Kei takes a step forward, his knees shaking with effort. “What do you even know?” he asks again, grabbing a fistful of Yamaguchi-kun’s shirt and bringing him closer, his stance intimidating.

Everything is coming back to him now—the exasperation, the discontent, the _lies_ —all come back at the same time, from the past eighteen months where he had tried to keep them hidden. Kei eyes fill with tears that threaten to fall, but he holds them back.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'll see myself out........


	178. Chapter 178

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> replying to comments has been so difficulT!!!! i'm so sorry, all!! >.

* * *

“T-that’s ‘cause,” Tadashi hesitates for a moment but then shouts it out. “That’s ‘cause you never tell me anything!”

His eyes are closed, his cheeks too red and Tsukki’s hand goes stock-still. He releases his shirt and lets his hands fall to his sides. The bell rings in the distance.

“Fine, I’ll tell you.”

* * *

 

“It’s nothing!” Himeko says quickly, afraid that Meika will see.

“Oh my god, Meika-chan! Your top is going into Hime’s lunchbox!” Suzue exclaims and sure enough, the tip of Meika’s white shirt is stained with ketchup. This makes her withdraw back fast. Suzue smiles at Himeko.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, this is the style of this fic, dragging out ten minutes of lunch break for six chapters in the author-wanting-it-to-seem-fast-but-its-actually-quite-lame-action-style-scenes yes this is it


	179. Chapter 179

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU AnotherMajesticFangirl and kamiishiro_chan for bookmarking (and recommending!!) the work!! i love you <3

* * *

“—and then, he did _that_! Can you believe it?”

“Well, well, Matsuzaka-sensei, your date sure went well, didn’t it?”

There’s the receding sound of laughter in the empty hallway. “Now!” Tsukki says and they both jump out from inside the classroom and walk towards the exit of the building.

“What was up with the dingy classroom? Gave me the creeps.”

Tadashi remains quiet. He’s thinking… about a lot of things, but mostly about how Tsukki looked so _hurt_. He keeps his worries for the time he is told the real story of whatever’s going on, and hopes Tsukki won’t forget.

* * *

 


	180. Chapter 180

* * *

The classes are boring, but Kei is trying to concentrate. It’s a repeat of what they’ve already done in cram school last week, and he answers perfectly when he teacher tells him to. After that, the chatter of the class dulls into murmurs, and his mind wanders.

To that time in winter when he was happy—and _aloof._

His eyes narrow in bitter resentment. It’s not like he can blame his brother for lying to him—he might have been a _reason_ that he lied, but it felt bad. Kei had felt all sorts of emotions at that time.

_Lame._

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by s2 ep 8............................


	181. Chapter 181

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you usari for bookmarking <333
> 
> ~~writing this was tough idk why~~

* * *

The silence stretches long and awkward between them. Tadashi wants to say something, but they are already walking on metaphoric eggshells—what with today’s fight—and he does not want to rush it. He wants Tsukki to take his pace.

Dry autumn leaves crack noisily under the soles of their outdoor shoes. Tadashi used to jump and step on them deliberately when he used to play volleyball with his older cousins. He smiles at the year old memory.

“Yamaguchi.” Tsukki says suddenly.

“Y-yes?” Tadashi’s voice cracks and he cringes internally. “Yes?” he says again.

“Wanna come to the park?”

“Okay…”  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something like this?  
>  ~~i know it's not night atm but pls go with it~~


	182. strawberry milk and green tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was thinking how things have been really dim around here....  
> well
> 
> and i always think about this but i forget it, i AM SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU  
> seriously, you're the sweetest readers i could ever ask for, thank you for making the ride till here wonderful <3

* * *

Kei is spacing out into the vending machine when the clank of a can brings him back and he jolts.

He’s just guessed that Yamaguchi-kun likes green tea, but he’ll take it home and bring him another drink if he doesn’t like it.

“Is this fine?”

Yamaguchi-kun says yes, smiles. Kei heaves a sigh of relief internally, then sighs loudly when he sits down next to him.

“So.” He begins.

“So,” Yamaguchi-kun says back.

Kei almost laughs. It’s like the strawberry milk and the green tea lifted the odd air that had been hanging like an ominous cloud over them. 

* * *

 


	183. Chapter 183

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU fudgeebear FOR BOOKMARKING!!!

* * *

“It’s nothing big, actually.” Kei says, and if he thinks about it—now that the mood is light enough for him to think properly and try to let go—it might have been _then_ , and it’s still _now_ , but he can’t keep on ruining things for Yamaguchi-kun always. He’ll keep it with himself, like he always has. “I was just being uncool, and gullible.”

“Tsukki isn’t uncool or pathetic or gullible.” Yamaguchi-kun states, pausing from gulping down the green tea, “You’re cool.”

Kei hates the way he says it like a statement, like it’s something everybody knows. “I’m not, really.”

* * *

 


	184. Chapter 184

* * *

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not, stop saying that, geez.”

“But you _are_ ,” Tadashi says, “I mean, that time you saved me from the bullies,” he motions with his hand to show that he means a really long time back, “I thought you were really cool!”

“What the… that back?” Tsukki rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. He gets up to throw his empty carton into the bin and sits back again. “I… my brother lied to me. About being the ace of Karasuno, about being the one who brought them victories. And I believed him.” 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~i made tsukki into such an emo dork omfg sorry orz~~
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ~~and this was supposed to be canon compliant orz~~


	185. Chapter 185

* * *

_Like a fool._ “I should have known that—” Kei pauses, looks at his empty hands for a long moment, then continues, “—that being only fired up doesn’t always guarantee victory.”  

“But he tried, didn’t he? He tried to become the best, he tried to win, like everybody does, and it does not really matter if he won or not.”

“But what is the point of going all out if it means nothing in end?” Kei questions, keeping his voice in check. The question bothers him all the time.

Yamaguchi-kun raises his shoulders, “There are two ways to look at it.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞hiatus


	186. Chapter 186

* * *

There is quite nothing he can say to _that._

Kei leans back on his palms and tries to rest his head on the bench. He can't, it's too short.

"Today has been... a crazy sort of a day."

Yamaguchi-kun nods but stays silent. Kei looks sideways at him then back ahead. A cawing crow flies overhead, and their eyes follow it. The evening is drawing to a slow end.

Kei doesn't want to cling to this conversation anymore; he licks his lips, and the taste of strawberry is still fresh on them.

"I'm gonna get another drink, you want something?"

* * *


	187. Chapter 187

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been too long...

* * *

“It’s getting late.”

Kei doesn’t dwell on the fact that Yamaguchi-kun didn’t answer him, but agrees with him, “It is.”

“Let’s go back, Tsukki.” His friend gets up and slips his bag over his shoulders. Kei cradles the cool can in his hands; it really _is_ cold. “Yeah, ok.”

On the way back, Kei can’t stop looking at the street lights as they flicker on one by one as they walked on—almost as if they were being welcomed by someone. Kei laughs at the thought.

“What’s so funny?”

“The lights.” Kei says, as the next one flickers to life.

* * *

 


	188. Chapter 188

* * *

“Oh.” Tadashi laughs, now sharing the amusement, “Yeah, is the town welcoming us back?”

Tsukki laughs again, and Tadashi decides that it’s not a bad sound at all, observes that he looks pretty when he laughs.

“Sure it is.”

They walk along, and Tadashi tries to match their footsteps. _Left, right, left_ , Tadashi misses a step, and _now_ they’re in sync.

“Are your hands cold?” Tsukki asks suddenly.

“Not really…”

“Mine are.”

Tadashi absently wonders if this is a cryptic way Tsukki asks someone to _hold_ hands, but then dismisses the concept of Tsukki wanting to do that with him. 

* * *

 


	189. Chapter 189

* * *

“Huh?”

“I said that my hands are cold.”

“Oh.”

 _Oh_ , that’s the only thing he can say, because he has no idea where this is going. Tsukki is looking to the side and Tadashi lets his hand fall to his side—the one between him and Tsukki. He idly thinks that it would be fun if they _swung_ their hands back and forth—like he used to when he was a child—then feels a cold touch on the back of his fingers. It only lasts a second.

“Uhm,” Tsukki coughs, still not looking at Tadashi, looking to the side. 

* * *

 


	190. Chapter 190

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you look at the image results for the tsukkiyama tag, they're just beautiful. it's no surprise that i found this masterpiece:  
>   
> and the text says [ _we did it_ ]{ _we finally did_ } ~~omg did what boys? what aside from hand-holding ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)~~ and wiLL YOU JUST KILL ME I HAVE TOO MANY FEELS RN

* * *

“Uhm,” Kei can’t even hear his own voice over the thrumming in his ears. It’s _everywhere_ ; his heart is beating so fast, he’s glad for the scant lighting that’s hiding the blazing redness of his face—which he is _sure_ of—from the world. “Wouldn’t want to catch a cold now.”

“Oh, okay…”

Yamaguchi-kun’s fingers fit into the gaps of his own, and Kei realizes that Yamaguchi-kun’s hands are a size of small he likes, a shade of warmth he wants to be with him at all times. His thumb caresses the other's and Kei nearly withdraws.

“It’s warm now.”

* * *

 


	191. Chapter 191

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOOOOOMFG IT'S BEEN 50 DAYS WITH THIS ARC (THIS DAY!!!!) AND I THINK THINGS ARE ROTTING HERE 
> 
> and i think i'm ready to move on maybe

* * *

Tadashi never regretted the park being so close to his home—he actually liked it being close enough—but now he kind of does.

“S-so, see you tomorrow?” he says, while their hands are still connected.

“Y-yeah, tomorrow…” Tsukki says, but makes no move to leave his hand.

Tadashi tries to remember what _day_ today is, and—

“Isn’t tomorrow a _Sunday_ , though?” Tsukki says.

Awkward laughter breaks out, and their hands simultaneously disconnect. Oh well, he only slightly misses Tsukki’s cold hand in his.

“Monday.” Tsukki says, and waves.

“Monday.” Tadashi agrees, and turns to enter his house.

It’s cold.

* * *

 


	192. Chapter 192

* * *

“I’m home.”

“Welcome back, Kei— _whoa_ , do you have a fever?”

Kei doesn’t look up while he rights his shoes. He breathes in deeply and pretends to himself that his voice does not shake, “Not really.”

“Let me take a look,” his mother says, and tries to put a hand to his forehead, but he shakes her off and runs into the bathroom to wash his face.

“This boy…” he hears her sigh.

Kei slaps his hands to his cheeks to try to bring their temperature down. He can’t figure out if his luck is with him today or not.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some people can blush really really hard, if you know what i mean (tyler oakley, for example?) and i can imagine tsukki with a throughly flushed face (///O////.\\\\\\\O\\\\\\)


	193. Kanagawa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was SO hard to write, i don't think anyone can imagine what superhuman effort it TOOK to get the words and the format out for this one ~~split infinitives, wordinessssss, passive voices; my computer was ACCusing me argh and ao3 changed their formatting format and it's hella difficult, i have CODE everything~~
> 
> it still seems wonky in places to me, so sorry for this

* * *

At dinner, Kei pulls out the crumpled form from his bag.

“Kanagawa?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to go?”

“...yes.”

“Then I’ll sign it; grab that pen.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

“I’m… going to Kanagawa.” Kei says, staring hard at the omelette rolls.

“Really?” Yamaguchi-kun asks, nearly dropping the pork cutlet from his chopsticks. He smiles, and Kei’s not sure if his stomach doing flip-flops is from hunger.

“Yeah…”

“That’s really good. I’m sure it will be a great experience!” Yamaguchi-kun’s enthusiasm is contagious, but Kei forces himself to not expect too much. “It’s just a few temple visits.”

“Still, we’ll have fun.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and oMG 400+ KUDOS THANKS EVERYONE HCDHREOIHIOWJRCFrpuiopseuioeruioyUWPEVOPIPUDRIOUFL;FL


	194. group study

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!! ☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆ may all your wishes come true

* * *

The trip’s not for another week, and they have year-end examinations right after it, so Kei knows that the smart thing to do is to get something done before they’re caught up in a whirlwind of distractions. He calls Yamaguchi-kun to ask if he’s up for group-study.

“Sure! I’ll be there.”

His mother receives him graciously, and even offers him to stay the night—which he declines—and Kei’s glad they get half the English covered, as it is Yamaguchi-kun’s weak subjects.

Kei pulls him away to play Pokémon before his brother starts talking about clubs and heights and friends. 

* * *


	195. it begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two, for the holiday reading~
> 
> enjoy with your friends and families people~~

* * *

Monday starts out cold and bleak, and bad weather never made Kei too happy. It made him grouchy. But he gets up hurriedly to pack his suitcase—he had told his mother that he had packed it last night, but the truth was that he needed to get some essentials into the suitcase.

He plonks some towels, a wash, paste and his brush into the bag, but realises that his brushing mug is cracked at the bottom. Kei shrugs, not wanting to ask his mother for a new one to risk a scolding.

He’ll just have to share with someone.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm kinda sad that we're not with the year's timeline now... christmas will come somewhere in feb maybe :~: idk lol


	196. the bus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooooo kanagawa is actually p far away but they're taking the bus because ;) (no ok they're taking the bus to sendai station, then from there, the shinkansen)
> 
> and also, it's near tokyo, soooooooo maybe little kuroo and kenma??

* * *

The bus is crowded, and Tadashi can’t find a place immediately. Sensei claps her hands, and the commotion dies down a bit.

“Everybody, settle down!” she offers helpfully, and some children say ‘ _yes...’_ monotonically.

Tadashi looks around to find Tsukki. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by people who want to sit with him, _and_ people who want him to put their bags into the overhead compartment. There is a clear look of disapprobation on Tsukki’s face, and Tadashi knows he shouldn’t, but he finds it amusing.

The ride is surprisingly—or perhaps not surprisingly at all—quiet, as is the shinkansen.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw, word suggests 'slinkiness' as an alternative for the shinkansen lol what does that even mean


	197. Chapter 197

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry for the scanty updates omg really!!!! m(_-_)m
> 
> i'll post two today

* * *

There’s a fair amount of pushing and pulling involved, but Himeko finally manages to get past the elbows and shins, and sits with a sound _thump_ in the seat next to Tsukishima-kun.

“Hi!” she says.

Tsukishima-kun is tied between trying to shove a bag inside the already horribly cramped luggage cubicle and trying to sit down _on the seat_ instead of a bunch of hands. He gives her a look, but does not say hi back.

Himeko waits patiently, arms crossed over her chest, lightly kicking her feet to the seat in front, glad that she has won this one.  

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't worry she's a changed person now


	198. Chapter 198

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been on a bus destined for a trip a max total of two times. if you think i'm exaggerating, i'm not. if you think i'm writing too much about it, i'm not....
> 
> it was brutal, do NOT underestimate the Bus and the Mob
> 
> (i think i broke my shin that one time)

* * *

Kei’s not sure if he’s seeing things or what—it’s hard to tell amongst all the racket surrounding him, and _what was that body part he just felt against his back_ —but he’s pretty sure about his memory. He remembers the inky black hair falling on porcelain-white shoulders.

It’s Sakurazawa Himeko.

“Hi!” she says, but Kei says nothing back. He’s doing a tough job trying not to look disgruntled and not tipping over _into_ her.

Kei vaguely wonders what she wants this time. Perhaps the lack of a reply wasn’t enough? He really hopes he doesn’t have to _say_ something.

* * *

 


	199. Chapter 199

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 700 I SCREM AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THANK YOU GUYSSSSSSS

* * *

“Was that you and Yamaguchi-kun in the old school building, the other day?”

Kei’s eyes widen, and he turns to face her, he should have _known_ there was something she was after. Kei wills his face not to set in a grimace, to keep things smooth.

“How did you know?” he fakes a smile that closes his eyes.

“I won’t tell anybody.” She says immediately, and no matter how genuine she is trying to be, Kei can’t help but doubt her.

“Thanks.” he says, and she looks like there’s another question at the tip of her tongue, but says nothing.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls love my ocs


	200. Chapter 200

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey i'm back haha lol hny it's the 200th chap woohoo
> 
> ~~i'm sorry~~

* * *

“ _Naa_ , Hime.”

Himeko recognizes the tone as she steps off the carriage—it’s that voice Meika uses when she has to be particularly condescending to anybody. _Keep calm, don’t snap at her now,_ Himeko says to herself, _you don’t want to repeat what happened at Iwate._  

She turns around with a smile already pinned to her face. “Yes?”

Suzue hands behind Meika, her hands uneasy at her sides, while Meika’s are crossed over her chest. “Aren’t you being overly friendly with Tsukishima-kun?”

Himeko wants to shout out in her face already, when Meika’s eyes shift to her shoulders.

“And that.”

* * *

 


	201. Chapter 201

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woot drama

* * *

“And that,” Meika points, and Himeko’s eyes fall to where she’s looking—to her shoulders. “What are you wearing?”

 _Now_ she’s really done it. Suzue steps forward, surprised as she is, but she’s behind Meika, she can’t stop Himeko’s hand that’s lashing out to hit her square in the face. All stops in a short moment, when Himeko’s is nearly connecting with Meika’s cheek—she doesn’t _care_ if she has no friends for this trip as well, she doesn’t _need_ friends like _her_ —but out of the corner of her eye, Himeko sees Taki. He stops her.

“That’s enough, Hime.”

* * *

 


	202. Chapter 202

* * *

Taki’s not misunderstanding, it’s just the kind of girl Meika is—the kind that pisses off Himeko too well, unknowingly, or knowingly, sometimes—and he is determined not to let her do something reckless again.

“Come with me, you idiot.”

He pulls Himeko away by the hand, and she resists by all the force she has. “Leave _me_ , you idiot.” She scream-whispers back at him.

The crowd that is stepping off the train is now watching, and they’ll fall in the exact trouble Taki has been trying to avoid if they don’t get away from here quickly. “Just come here.”

* * *

 


	203. Chapter 203

* * *

“Don’t you _see_?” he whispers loudly, once they are out of the eyeshot. “She was—” he stops when he sees that Himeko is near tears, her shoulders slumped. The same shoulders on which she was wearing the cut top she loved so much that it was her favourite last year, the same that Meika was criticizing a minute ago.

“Your dress looks good.” He says, now facing away.

Himeko faces away as well, and her voice is thick with unshed tears as she mumbles a thank you. “I fought with mama to wear it; she said it looks too short.”

* * *

 


	204. Chapter 204

* * *

“It’s you favourite, right?”

Himeko nods. She’s happy that Taki remembers—almost smiles—but then recalls that now she has no one to spend three days of the trip with.

“Thanks for—” she lets out a long sigh, “Stopping me from hitting Meika, but now I’m all alone, so thanks for that as well.” She pulls a face.

Taki laughs—out loud and into her face, and Himeko would have jumped up to pull at his cheeks if she wasn’t a whole foot shorter than him.

Taki pats her head, as if sensing what she is thinking, “I’m here, idiot.”

* * *

 


	205. Chapter 205

* * *

Kei sighs audibly as he steps off the train. Two hours into the trip and he’s already tired. But tired or not, he quickly has to move out of the way, or be ambushed by the crowd again.

The Sakuragicho station is a busy one, and Kei is again glad for height, else he would be swept away with the hustle and bustle, or squashed under a hurrying businessperson’s pointy shoes.

The teacher asks everyone to gather, and a head count commences, and Kei’s eyes look for the person who told him ‘ _this would be fun_ ' from over the crowd.  

* * *

 


	206. Chapter 206

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you moscowbboy100 for bookmarking~~
> 
> omg this chapter required soooo much research

* * *

_“Uwaaaah!!”_

“Stop that,” Kei hushes at him, a little embarrassed at Yamaguchi-kun exclaiming _(!!!!)_ wherever they go.

“But it’s so _big_! Tsukki, everything’s so big here, this place is _amazing_!”

It’s about as amazing as a _cup noodle museum_ would be, Kei wants to say, but doesn’t, for the sake of his friend’s enthusiasm.

They’re free to ‘explore’ the place as they want, and Kei is happy that they were told to do so in pairs or groups, not the class as a whole.  

“Where do we go next?” Yamaguchi-kun asks, and Kei checks the planner.

“The guesthouse, and the hot-spring.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and _yes_ japan has a cup-noodle museum. i'm not even surprised.


	207. Chapter 207

* * *

“It’s  an open bath?” A classmate over at the dinner table.

“Yeah, well, it’s technically hot-spring, so,” Kei replies around his eating a piece of salmon.

“Isn’t that cool?” Yamaguchi-kun exclaims from beside him, and a few others agree with him. Kei rolls his eyes, but there’s a smile at the corner of his lips.

* * *

“What.”

Kei used to attention, but not this kind of attention.

The group of boys is laughing. Yamaguchi-kun is trying to control his laughter behind his hand, and failing.

“We’re in the same boat, Tsukishima,” says Taki, who’s another boy, almost as tall as him.  

* * *

 


	208. Chapter 208

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *tries not to put the word 'glabella' into the text*  
>  ~~bc i'm dan and phil trash~~

* * *

Kei looks at the other boy, his gaze wary. His hand immediately goes to correct his glasses, but meets skin, because they aren’t there. “Hamasaki,” he says, by way of acknowledgement.

Hamasaki waves and smiles, and Kei’s face looks glum.

“Hey, _Tsukki_!”

It’s like the bath temperature dropped a hundred Celsius, and there’s an audible gasp from the group, because Kei fixes the other boy with the coldest glare he can manage.

“ _Never_ call me that.”

Hamasaki’s smirk is teasing, and his eyes stray over to Yamaguchi-kun—who’s as white as a sheet—before he sings again, “ _As you say_.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooooo Taki meets Tsukki :3  
> first time his surname was spoken lol  
> i kinda like the name: Hamasaki Taki


	209. Chapter 209

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> names and nicknames are a big thing in japan, esp. when two boys are v close friends, as this is when the teasing and odd rumors start, so forgive me if this seems too dragged out zmmz sorry

* * *

“Tsukk—ishima-kun,” Tadashi catches himself before he slips again. “You’re not wearing the yukata?”

Tsukki huffs, says it is _way too cold_ for a flimsy yukata, but shucks his tee over his head and an orange one from the bench.

The belt is loose around their waists.

“Time to sleep.” His friend announces as soon a he is finished tightened it.

“Eh? But the fun’s just beginning now!” Tadashi says, as he walks alongside him, bare feet warm from the bath cold on the wooden floor.

Tsukki—he can’t get out of the habit in his head—looks petulant. “No.”

* * *

 


	210. Chapter 210

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMlwer-lbow)

* * *

Kei hates how it seems like he is growing _thinner_ day-by-day, even though he eats properly. He pulls on the belt. “Time to sleep.” He says in a voice he hopes leaves no room for questions or pleases.

“Eh? But the fun’s just beginning now!” 

Kei’s tired, and shaking his head violently internally—telling himself not to give in _this_ time—so he straight-out tells him “No.”

He’s not ready to frolic around in somebody else’s room, playing cards or pillow-fighting, or whatever Yamaguchi-kun dubs as ‘fun’ again.

“You go ahead, and—” Kei dumps him towel over Yamaguchi-kun’s head. “Enjoy.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~these babies....... so in love~~


	211. Chapter 211

* * *

Kei sits on the outer corridor with a heavy sigh. The evening is cool—too cool to sit outside—but he rubs his feet together, slips his hands inside his sleeves.

At least whatever can be seen of the garden in the twilight is pretty. Fireflies are just beginning to light the dark corners up, and the sight is unlike the one back home.

 _Fireflies…_ he remembers people used to call his name wrong when they didn’t know the correct reading.

Perhaps he should not have given his towel to Yamaguchi-kun. His hands feel empty and cold.

_"Are you bored?"_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~tsukki are you a middle-aged man jfc act more your age and go have fun with yams orz~~
> 
> btw i love the outer corridors in japanese houses!!! they make the house seem so airy and big and nice, and i'd sit there all the time if my house had one!!! i researched and they're called 'engawa'. if somebody's getting their house made, check them out bc they're cool.


	212. Chapter 212

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO HAPPY Y'ALL LIKE TAKI AAAAAAAA
> 
> TAKI LOVES YOU ALL AS WELL, I SWEAR I WILL DRAW HIM AND HIME WHEN I CAN DRAW ;-;

* * *

Kei lets his head fall to the side, and maintains his voice, “ _Extremely_.”

“Want me to _help you with something_?”

Kei hates the way Hamasaki stresses his words; outright dislikes the mocking tone, and how he speaks only in questions and riddles. “No.” He resists adding ‘Go away’ to his sentence.

The tall boy sighs, leans against the shut half of the paper door and says, “Well, I have something you can help me with.”

Kei quirks an eyebrow, but turns his neck away to look back at the garden. Hamasaki takes his silence as cue to go on speaking.

* * *

 


	213. Chapter 213

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you ira_heir_of_rage and BellaNotFromTwilight for BOOKMARKING!!~~ and yes, we can 100% be friends =)

* * *

“Don’t come near Hime.”

Tsukishima scoffs, says it makes him laugh that he even _considers_ the idea a possibility, and stands up to face him. “Why don’t you make your own move instead of pulling strings behind the screen?”

Taki remains silent, suddenly aware that he has given Tsukishima the advantage of the situation. He has to do something, and _quick_.

He forces his lips into a smile—it is his best-practised defense—and folds his arms over his chest.

“Hmm, wouldn’t you want no one to hurt Yamaguchi-kun as well?”

Taki’s never seen a condescending expression change so fast.

* * *

 


	214. Chapter 214

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'know that thing in anime when a serious character changes to a bubbly drawing, that's p much what's happening here, sorry if my words don't depict it well orz and for so many POV changes orz  
> this is already the third one

* * *

“What do you mean?”

Hamasaki’s demeanor changes completely from defensive to offensive. “ _I mean_ , we both have childhood friends, right? Let’s not hurt each others’, okay?” he practically cooes, his questions really statements.

“Okay.” It takes Kei half a second to realize that this dubs Yamaguchi-kun his ‘childhood friend’, which he is not—and he agreed to the fact.

“Sakurazawa maybe yours, but Yamaguchi isn’t my childhood friend.”

“Then what is he?” Hamasaki doesn’t even miss a beat.

Kei dips his head, breaking eye contact for the first time, “He’s just a…very good friend.”

He doesn’t say anything else.  

* * *

 


	215. Chapter 215

* * *

Taki huffs out a laugh, his eyes up to the heaven. “I dunno, man.” He can see Tsukishima’s cheeks turn a slight shade of pink, but it’s not that clear in the dim light, and Tsukishima’s head is titled down. “ _Any_ way, that’s none of my concern. As long as you keep away from Himeko. Bye for now.”

The first time he saw them together at the pool, Taki almost thought that they were _brothers_ or something. It really is not his concern, so he discards the mental photo from his brain.

“Now to see where that idiot Hime is…”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on furudate-sensei's blog, he wrote something like he pictures TsukiYama as a familial love/relationship or something lol i think that's obviously to troll the fujoshis, who'll headcanon their marriage lol
> 
> ~~also taki where is your mental image, i need a photo of tsukkiyama at the pool desPERATELY~~
> 
> no update tomorrow :/ i have my physics exam :(


	216. Chapter 216

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i _did_ say that there might be little kenma and kuroo....

* * *

“ _Kenma, you having fun?_ ”

“No.”

“ _But you have a phone, a smartphone._” Kuroo stresses.

“Yeah, for playing games.” Kenma rolls his eyes, even though Kuroo can’t see him. Frankly, it’s boring even with a smartphone. It’s boring without Kuroo.

“We’ll be back by evening.” Kenma says, speaking slowly because he can hear footsteps. When they fade away, he tells his friend, “Stop calling me and enjoy middle school.”

“ _But middle school is soooo hard. And boring. Hey, Kenma, graduate faster so we can be together faster, okay?”_

“…I can’t fast-forward time.” He says, as he fast-forwards progress on his plants.

* * *

 


	217. Can, Can't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first chapter in long with a titlE!!!! i FEEL SO HAPPY

* * *

“ _…You can_.”

“I can’t.”

“ _You can_.”

“Can’t.”

“ _Can_.”

Kenma sighs loudly. “How, exactly?”

“ _Grow up fast._ ” Kuroo replies immediately. Kenma only thought that he would be too caught up in the moment and say ‘can’t’ again, but Kuroo’s smart not to. “ _Eat more, exercise more, sleep well and don’t play too many—_ ”

“Kuro, are you my mom?”

“ _Rude_.”

Kenma sighs again. It’s becoming a habit that Kuroo’s getting used to, slowly, and one that he should discard but can’t. “I’m going,” he says firmly. “There are too many loud people here. I’ll talk to you later.”

“ _…See you_.”

“Hn, bye.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, before you scream about the lack of tsukkiyama here, i'm just gonna say, this scene, where they're bantering like 5 years olds:
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> the previous scene just?? felt incomplete without their "can, can't; is, is not" banter, so i wanted to show that here. i think these silly arguments are just a part of childhood friendships, and that's beautiful!! tsukkiyama also had a similar silly argument :3 and their's is a childhood friendship in the making.
> 
> tsukkiyama will come. i've had really less time today ;;; and my back really hurts for some reason and it's too cold :((


	218. Say cheese!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we _gooooooooo_

* * *

“Tsukki, _smile_!”

Kei does not feel like smiling at all. He scowls into the camera.

“Geez,” Yamaguchi-kun says, “ _Smile_ , I said, _Tsukki!_ ” he stresses the nickname, and giggles louder when Kei directs his scowl to him. “We won’t have one good memory of the trip if you don’t smile properly. Now, look here and _say cheese_!”

“I’m never saying ‘cheese’ to a camera.” Kei states, and grabs the camera from Yamaguchi-kun’s hands. “Besides, I should hold this, because my arm’s longer.”

“ _Boo!_ Just because you’re taller, you’re so mean, Tsukki.” He says, his tongue poking out.    

Kei rolls his eyes.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was this perhaps.... _cheesy?_


	219. Chapter 219

* * *

_Snap!_

“There, happy now?”

“One more, Tsukki, _please, please, please_.” Tadashi says, as he makes a peace sign and closes his right eye.

“Yamaguchi…” Tadashi can hear Tsukki grumble, but he doesn’t change his pose. “Sorry, Tsukki!”

“You’re not sorry at all, are you?” His friend says, clicking another one nevertheless. “Besides, taking pictures doesn’t exactly—”

“Hmm, I wonder if we should have gone to a purikura stand…” Tadashi muses.

“ _—hey_ , are you listening?”

“Sorry, Tsukki!”

Tsukki sighs, and Tadashi frowns at his slumped shoulders, his slowly closed eyes. Something is up.

“Something happened, didn’t it?” he says, not asks.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...if they were aged up in this fic, yams would have definitely kissed tsukki here *dies internally*
> 
> but okay, IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: next week we'll be celebrating our first anniversaryyyyyyyy ٩(｡•ㅅ•｡)و *does small happy dance*
> 
> so if you have any ideas for that, make sure to leave them in the comments!!


	220. double

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @GIANTHORSESHOE GAVE ME INSPIRATION FOR THIS ONE THANK YOU FOR EXISTING BAE *3*

* * *

“It’s nothing.” Kei states, tired of the day already. He didn’t sleep well last night, and his eyes itch a bit. He resists the urge to scratch them, and fixes his glasses. His gaze catches Hamasaki’s—that boy _seriously_ pisses Kei off—who smirks _too_ sweetly at him. Sakurazawa stands beside him, talking about something and pointing towards the temple. “Nothing.” He repeats.

Another school from Tokyo is also on a trip _in the same temple_ , and Kei can’t help but curse the authorities inwardly for not coordinating properly because there’s too much noise, more than what’s appropriate, at least.

* * *

 


	221. the

* * *

"Someone said something, didn’t they?” Yamaguchi-kun looks around, and suddenly Kei feels more alert and active than ever, his eyes open and following Yamaguchi’s hazel ones.

“No.”

His friends’ eyes settle on him, and oh _crap_ —why do they look so sharp today, like they can look through him? Why didn’t Kei ever notice how good the twilight looks reflected in them? _Why can’t he take his eyes away to look wherever, **anywhere** except—_

“I’m sure Hamasaki-kun said something weird again.”

“What, no. Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

His friend doesn't reply with his usual 'sorry' this time. "Am I wrong, Tsukki?"

* * *

 


	222. trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> read the titles of the last three chapters together~~

* * *

"This temple also has many affliations with the one you visited in Tokyo- _Taki_? Hey, are you listening?" Himeko had taken some (read: _lot_ ) care to memorize every part of the instruction booklet. This was perhaps her last chance to one-up Taki on this trip, and after what happened with Meika, she felt like she had to take it.

But Taki is looking somewhere else, and not paying attention. She snaps her fingers twice, "Lost in thoughts of?"

" _Kyaaa! You caught me daydreaming!_ " Taki imitates in a high-pitched voice.

"Is that supposed to be Meika's because that's really not funny."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aa~ 222, what a satisfying number. idk what was up with me today, but i couldn't really type properly, so if there are any typos, do tell ^o^
> 
> the temple they are visiting is shinzenkoji, check out the pics [here](http://www.zenkojikai.com/kanto/ka-53.html)


	223. Chapter 223

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaa i'm so happy today~~ after a long struggle, my exams are over and it's phil's birthday today and i got a bookmark!!!! thank you genderfluids for bookmarking!!~~~

* * *

Tadashi thinks it’s working. He tilts his head to the side, and repeats, “I’m not wrong, Tsukki?”

Again a statement, not a question. He’s seen Tsukki get flustered easily when confronted directly, he’s seen Tsukki stammer when he looks him in the eye. He has seen the direct approach work perfectly.

“I—I’m sorry , I'll—have to—”

Tadashi clutches his arm, urgent to save the situation before it slips through his hands, and says, “Tell me later, please?” with a conviction he hopes to see mirrored in Tsukki’s eyes.

His friend nods mutely, and Tadashi lets go of his arm.

* * *

 


	224. Chapter 224

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR THE BOOKMARKS:   
> igranka and  
> Nightmare_Queen
> 
> aaaaaaaa bookmarks make my day~~~

* * *

What seem like the longest four minutes of his life, more like four decades of his life—because that’s how much Kei thinks he’s aged in this… _incident_ —are actually just four short minutes, which pass swiftly enough in his _normal_ life, but not when he’s being looked at which such intensity, not when he’s struggling with his words like this.

Kei makes it a point to avoid Yamaguchi-kun for the rest of the day.

Finally, when they are settled, and on the train aboard home, he allows himself to think, coolly, with a calm mind—

_What was that about?_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *banging pots and pans together* I111111 DON'T!!!! KNOW%%%%%


	225. say

* * *

He can’t think it out coolly or calmly or properly. His mind is moving in circles.

Kei can’t make head or tail of anything.

_How does he define… **this**? What he is feeling? What **is he** feeling in the  first place?_

Suddenly, Yamaguchi-kun walks in, and takes the empty seat beside him. “Hi!” he says, and Kei can only stare.

“Hi,” he says back, lamely, then remembers that maybe he has to actually  _say_ something to clear things up. “ _I—_ ”

“Don’t say a thing.” Yamaguchi-kun says, raising one hand. “I don’t want to know anything that’s making you so worried.” 

* * *

 


	226. End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you shammaroo for the bookmark!!~~
> 
> aa, so i guess yama's character developed early in this one, but what to do, this is fanfiction after all, and we write things as they go on in canon

* * *

He’s been feeling this way for about some time now, but this settles it, and the realization dawns on Kei with the force of thousand volleyballs thrown to his face: Yamaguchi-kun has changed. He’s not the same person Kei saw on the street, blubbering and crying as was bullied, he’s not the same person who hesitated to say a word in his defence.

“Ok.”

 _He_ himself isn’t the same person—he knows a lot has changed this past six months.

“Good.”

Kei doesn’t know if it’s for the good or bad, but he guesses there’s still time to find out.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have made a big decision all by myself... and i kinda don't like the number 226, but :) thank you for all the support up till now, i mean this from the bottom of my heart. it makes me so sad to press this button, but i've been meaning to do it for so long.
> 
> this was--and will always be--a rash decision. i clearly remember all the people who've told me that they wait for this everyday, and i'm sad that there'll be no more of this, though i'm sure how they feel now.

**Author's Note:**

> updates may resume after fourteenth of march or at request :)


End file.
